Nazarick Slice of Life
by Metafanfix
Summary: Ainz organizes a massive event to attract attention to his newly reformed Adventurer's Guild, complete with a custom built dungeon and even a Nazarick Hotel! What if Nabe and Evileye were to be...roommates! More chuunibyou Lakyus? Will the mysterious Red Drop make an appearance? What could possibly go wrong? (Set after the events of Volume 13) Reviews are greatly appreciated!
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own Overlord**

 **Chapter 1: As Expected of Ainz-sama**

"This was not a good idea." Ainz thought to himself once more as the carriage he had been riding in slowed to a halt.

The Overlord's crimson eyes glinted underneath a full helm of utter black, and for the briefest of moments, a glimpse of the undying entity within the black armor shone through the dark visage of Momon the adventurer.

Narberal Gamma, who was seated adjacent to her increasingly anxious master, shifted uncomfortably in her seat as a cold, death-like aura began to emanate throughout the carriage. The vehicle began to buckle as the horses panicked under the sensation of a spectral chill.

"Momon-sa..n, is something the matter?"

Having realized his unwitting release of emotions, Ainz's limiter kicked in and the undead immediately calmed down.

"Ah, it's nothing."

He truly hoped that was the case. After all, this was _his_ idea. Or at least it had been, until Demiurge and Albedo decided that his idea was apparently something much, much more.

He remembered the reverent grins on their faces as he gave them his suggestion:

An invitation to all adventurers from nearby nations to test their might at the newly constructed Master Dungeon within the Sorcerer Kingdom, and to commemorate the establishment of a reformed Adventurer's Guild, dedicated to exploration and adventurism.

"Kukuku, to think Ainz-sama would come up with yet another brilliant device to expedite his already incomprehensible plans. I am honored to observe such intellectual magnificence."

For the duration of the event, the living expenses and residential needs of all participants are sponsored by the Sorcerer Kingdom and provided at the newly created "Nazarick Hotel".

"As expected of the greatest of the Supreme Beings, and my love! To think things could be done in such a _creative_ manner! Oh, Ainz-sama!"

 _What._

He really wished they would stop all that. Once again, Ainz found himself tempted to ask for an explanation of his own "plans".

In the end, despite the Overseer's insistence that she could not possibly produce results worthy of her lord's will, Ainz managed to convince Albedo to map out the details and plan out the intricacies of management, communication and financing.

Ainz wondered if this was how the bosses he had back in his old world relied on their secretaries. Suzuki Satoru could not even imagine himself overseeing the execution of such a complicated process without Albedo.

 _Since he's supposedly highly intelligent, maybe I should have Pandora's Actor pretend to be me and say some insightful things about these so-called "brilliant plans" so it looks like I have a clue as to what's going on._

However, as Ainz recalled the image of his NPC fanatically waving his arms and speaking in German, he quickly dismissed the thought.

A few weeks ago, Ainz had asked Albedo to submit a full report on the arrangements regarding the event.

* * *

"Invitations have been sent to all nearby nations in which the Adventurer's Guild has influence. These include: the Baharuth Empire, the Re-Estize Kingdom and the Draconic Kingdom. The Holy Kingdom shall be sending a representative as a gesture to show their support as a recently established vassal state towards our efforts to reform the Adventurer's Guild."

"Adventurers will be provided accommodations within the Nazarick Hotel based on their rank. As Adamantite Adventurers are so few in number, they will be assigned to two mega-suites, one for each sex."

For a moment, Ainz thought there was something wrong with what was just stated. However, he could not quite put his finger on it. He gestured at Albedo to continue.

"In order to foster a higher sense of camaraderie between adventurers, adventurer parties are encouraged to exchange party members and seek new partners as they explore the Master Dungeon."

Albedo continued to list the details of the event. Security, food, healing etc. had all been meticulously handled by the Overseer. Having finished her report, Albedo looked up at her master with hopeful eyes.

"Umu. Well done, Albedo. You are dismissed."

The Succubus gave a disappointed pout, before bowing and leaving Ainz alone in the throne room.

 _Hmmm…everything seems to be in order…_

 _Wait a minute! Doesn't that mean Nabe's going to be living with the Blue Roses for the entire time?!_


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: The Nazarick Hotel**

Yuri Alpha was excited.

For the past several months, she'd felt idle, envious and even slightly depressed. She'd watched as her sisters were given assignments one by one: Lupuregina at Carne Village, Narberal as Darkness, Shizu in the Holy Kingdom, Solution at the capital. Meanwhile, she remained at Nazarick, with little to do aside from overseeing the training of Tsuareninya, a task Sebas was perfectly capable of performing alone.

Now, however, she had work to do. The Nazarick Hotel was part of the Supreme Being's plan to reinvigorate the area recently taken by the Sorcerer Kingdom and attract visitors to the newly established nation by the thousands. Ainz Ooal Gown had plans to completely reintegrate and renovate the inns and taverns into a hotel and resort chain dedicated to serving adventurers and citizens alike.

Yuri Alpha was delighted to hear that none other than herself would be assigned to oversee the development of such a project. Currently, she stood inside a building that was meant to be the first of the resorts of the Nazarick Hotel chain. It was to be officially opened in several days alongside the Master Dungeon during the upcoming major event.

Suddenly, an energetic voice called out from behind her.

"Yuri-Senpai! Is it really okay for us to leave Nazarick?" asked a blonde girl with big, blue eyes dressed in a maid outfit.

"Yes Foire, it is Ainz-sama's wish after all that the homunculus maids be sent to staff this establishment. I am sure your sisters who have remained at Nazarick will do their best to keep the Great Tomb in pristine condition."

Yuri recalled what the Supreme Being had said. Lord Ainz had decided that it would be best not to use undead as workers for this first hotel as it would most likely "ruin the mood" for a lot of the adventurers. After all, first impressions were important. Thus, twenty of the forty-one homunculus maids had left Nazarick for the first time in their lives to work at the Nazarick Hotel.

Yuri had to agree that cute, loveable maids most certainly had a charm that elder liches and death knights seemed to greatly lack. As expected of Ainz-sama.

The construction ad furnishing of the building itself had been simple. Lord Ainz, with his magnificent power, had simply conjured up a massive, eight story marble building out of thin air in a clearing within the Great Forest of Tob. The Supreme Being also apparently had many pieces of elaborate and exotic furniture which he called "useless flavor items", which seemed to be relics obtained through feats of strength from the world before. In addition, with the help of golems and more magic, a hot spring, a sparring area, a theatre and other amenities had been built within and around the Nazarick Hotel.

While the quality of the Nazarick Hotel could not even begin to compare with the sanctuary that was the Great Tomb of Nazarick, it was a facility that outclassed any inn or mansion within the nearby nations. Even the Golden Pavillion of E-Rantel looked third-rate in comparison.

In several days, adventurers from all over would be travelling to participate in the opening ceremony of the Nazarick Hotel and the even more exciting Master Dungeon. The impression of the adventurers regarding their experience at the hotel and dungeon would be crucial in promoting and spreading the greatness of Ainz Ooal Gown.

That was why Yuri could not fail.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3: Adamantite**

 _Sorry if the previous chapters were too short. This is my first time ever writing any kind of fanfic/story and I just wanted to test out the waters a bit before committing to the story. So far, I've enjoyed writing this fanfic and hope you all enjoy reading it as well. Reviews are highly appreciated, and do follow/fav if you like the story so I know if it's worth continuing or not. Thanks guys and enjoy!_

 _At the Ro Lente Castle at the Royal Capital of Re-Estize…._

"The Sorcerer King's full of surprises, isn't he?"

Gagaran whistled as she quickly scanned the piece of parchment containing a peculiar invitation, before passing it to the blond woman seated next to her.

Lakyus' striking green eyes widened in surprise as she noticed several particular details.

"Exchanging party members? A hotel? Free resurrection and healing? A shared suite between Adamantite adventurers? Interesting…"

"It could be a trap." piped a girl leaning against the wall, her figure shrouded in shadow.

"You might be right, Tina, but I doubt the Sorcerer King would do something so…obvious."

"Maybe we should contact someone we can trust in E-Rantel to confirm the nature of this invitation." suggested a petite looking girl clad in a blood red hood, whose face was concealed behind a white mask.

"By that you mean Momon of Darkness, don't you?"

Gagaran sighed.

Evileye's massive crush on the "Raven Black Hero" was no secret. Any mention of the dark warrior immediately reduced the Blue Roses' trump card, the forgotten vampire hero "Landfall" to a swooning little girl. Her team mates were often at a loss as to whether or not they should be sad or amused.

"N..no! Well, I mean, yes…. Who else could we contact? Momon's the only one immune to the evil's corruption!"

Evileye immediately lost her composure.

Fearing another love-struck mini-tantrum, Lakyus quicky raised a suggestion.

"I know the guild master, Pluton Ainzach quite well…"

Another lithe figure emerged from the shadows..

Tia frowned and shook her head.

"I hear that man has completely thrown his support behind the Sorcerer King. We can't trust him."

The Blue Roses discussed several other options. In the end, under the heavy insistence of one of their members, they decided to send a letter to Momon to arrange for a meeting.

Gagaran considered the invitation some more, then turned to Lakyus with curious eyes as a thought struck her.

"Do you think we'll meet your uncle there? His party should be back from the Arglande Council State around now. This event seems like something they'd be highly interested in…"

The leader of the Blue Roses froze.

Azuth Aindra, esteemed nobleman and a member of the second Adamantite adventurer group, Red Drop. More importantly, he was the uncle of Lakyus Alvein Dale Aindra. Lakyus doubted that she'd have decided to become an adventurer if not for her uncle's influence. However, the relationship between them right now was….complicated.

It wasn't that Lakyus didn't like her uncle anymore, but Azuth knew about a hidden aspect of her personality, one that she would much prefer to keep a secret from her friends.

"I'll deal with it when the time comes." Lakyus decided.

* * *

Not for the first time, Draudillon Oriculus sighed as she saw her reflection within the glass of wine she held. The stressed, frustrated and exhausted face of a young girl stared back at her. In the hand not clutching the goblet of wine, the Dragon Queen held an unfurled piece of parchment.

"So…what should we do about this?"

She addressed a middle-aged man who stood several paces away from the throne she was seated in. As always, the Prime Minister's face displayed little emotion. Seeing that her advisor was not eager to respond, Draudillon continued.

"The beastmen army is encroaching, and we can't afford to send any men outside of the country. Hotels and exploration? Is this some kind of cruel joke? We are at the brink of our nation's demise! If word of this invitation spreads within the kingdom, adventurers left and right will see an excuse to abandon the kingdom!"

The Prime Minister nodded. Semantics aside, no individual understood the direness of the nation's situation more than the queen herself. However, he personally thought that the Sorcerer King's invitation was a little more thoughtful than Draudillon understood.

"Draudillon-sama, I advise that we send Crystal Tear to attend the event on behalf of the Draconic Kingdom."

The Dragon Queen could not believe what she was hearing. Had her advisor finally given up on the kingdom?

"Send our strongest fighting force to a foreign nation when our war efforts are at the brink of collapse? Are you out of your mind?"

"My Queen, I believe that this…"event" may be a subtle invitation for the Draconic Kingdom to establish connections with the Sorcerer Kingdom. With or without Crystal Tear, our forces will not be able to turn back the tide of the Beastmen. Our only hope is to receive aid from an external power. I doubt the Sorcerer King would be so foolish as to forget the plight of the Draconic Kingdom. The event is, in a way, a platform in which the Draconic Kingdom's worth can be assessed. If the Sorcerer King witnesses the potential of Crystal Tear himself, he may very well deem us worth saving."

"….."

For a moment, the Queen was silent.

"Do we really have to send _him_? He cannot seriously represent our country! What about Optics?"

The Prime Minister shook his head gravely.

"Unfortunately, Optics is not technically an adventurer group, so they would not necessarily be welcomed to the event. More importantly, we are in no financial or authoritative position to make any demands of them. Our only bet is Crystal Tear."

Draudillon sighed again.

"Have someone contact Cerebrate and tell him to come see me."

* * *

The carriage carrying the adventurer party, Darkness, finally stopped at the gates of the royal capital of Re-Estize. The guards at the entrance quickly ushered them in at the sight of the Adamantite plates around their neck.

"The nerve of these maggots! To think they'd dare summon the Supreme Being to speak with the likes of them?! It would be merciful if-"

"Enough Nabe. We've talked about this. The Blue Roses have already apologized in their letter for making me travel to them. The carriage is a necessary formality. Arriving through Gate would make me look too close to the Sorcerer King's forces."

In truth, Ainz appreciated the time spent on travelling as it allowed him to plan out the conversation he was about to have with the Blue Roses. Ainz understood that the all-female Adamantite Group were highly influential among both the nobility and the adventurers of the Re-Estize Kingdom, and that winning their trust was important in the process of promoting his new version of the Adventurer's Guild.

"Remember, Narberal Gamma, that we have a mission to accomplish. Soon enough, you will have to play your part. After all, you'll be spending a lot of time with them in the next few weeks."

"Yes, my lord."

As usual, he wasn't sure if Narberal had completely processed everything that he'd said to her.

"Ah! What a pain. Maybe I should get Pandora's Actor to play her part. No, that won't work, I need him to play the part of the Sorcerer King while I'm masquerading as Momon. Besides, I don't want to hurt her feelings. She might…consider offing herself again…"

The Overlord of Death resisted the urge to scratch his skeleton head.

Ainz looked out the window, seeing the looming shape of the royal palace of Ro Lente Castle.

"Anyway, we're here."


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4: The Master Dungeon**

Aura almost gasped as she looked at the massive labyrinthine complex that stretched out beneath her. High in the sky, on the back of one of her prized dragons, Aura could not help but feel impressed at her brother's work.

"Huh, Mare really overdid himself this time."

A massive cluster of towering obsidian walls formed the skeleton of what could only be called a living maze. From her vantage point, Aura could see variety of geographical features: volcanic zones filled with magma, lush rainforests, murky swamps, barren deserts, all joined together by a network of stygian walls. Edifices such as temples, shrines, tombs and pyramids littered the complex, serving as checkpoints, hidden treasure troves or boss areas. Atop the walls of the maze were walkways which allowed servants of Nazarick to observe and evaluate the performance of individuals as well as provide support and healing in times of emergency.

The level of detail was incredible. For a moment, Aura wondered if she could have done a better job. She recalled Bukubukuchagama's saying: "Leave it to us big sisters to show their little bros how to get things done."

What would her creator say if she was here now?

* * *

"I'm glad it's over."

Mare Bello Fiore sighed as he oversaw the finishing touches being made to the so-named "Master Dungeon". Dressed in a forest-green leaf cloak and a matching short skirt, it was hard to believe that the timid little dark elf was the mastermind behind one of the greatest architectural and technological achievements in the history of the New World.

In the hand not clutching his staff, Mare gingerly held the book that he had named his dungeon after, personally gifted to him by the Supreme Being himself.

"Yggdrasil Dungeon Master: The Comprehensive Guide".

Through the book, Mare had learnt how to combine various weather spells and area of effect spells to create special landscapes that could be maintained through enchantments. He found tips as to where to best organize creature spawn locations in order to create an environment for adventurers that was adequately challenging, but not impossible. The book stressed "good design over fake difficulty". It also provided information regarding secret passages and locations and how they should be implemented throughout the complex.

With the information from the book, as well as extremely generous support from the Great Tomb of Nazarick in terms of resources and advice, Mare was able to finish the "Master Dungeon" within half a year.

Magic casters that had stayed behind at E-Rantel had been recruited to help place the enchantments within the dungeon. Dwarven craftsmen and runesmiths helped to build the edifices and to create elaborate environmental mechanics. Undead and golems handled all the manual labor without rest.

Those of Nazarick did their best to help. Aura had helped pick out some of monsters to use within the dungeon. Demiurge gave advice on time management and resource utility, as well as demons to place in the dungeon. Hamsuke was able to give some insight over monster ecology in forested areas. Shalltear even offered to be a boss encounter, but Mare was wise enough to politely reject her, much to the vampire's disappointment. Lord Ainz himself created many of the weather enhancements himself through high tier and super tier magic.

"I couldn't have done this by myself."

Of that, Mare was certain.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5: Tea Party**

 ** _Please try to review so I know what I need to work on mos, thanks. Hope you guys continue to enjoy the story!_**

It was truly a peculiar sight.

Around a fancy dining table, where platters of pastries and immaculate silverware sat untouched, seven of the most powerful individuals within the Re-Estize Kingdom sat amidst an awkward silence.

Tina and Tia shifted uncomfortably in their seats, as if they felt insecure outside the safety of the shadows.

Evileye trembled in her seat, as if barely able to contain her excitement. She was too afraid to move or speak, lest her emotions bubble to the surface and embarrass her.

Nabe simply sat, unmoving. Her cold face resembled that of a person suppressing the urge to swat a particularly pesky mosquito.

Gagaran gazed around the room expectantly, as if hoping for someone else to begin the conversation. Eventually, she turned and looked at Lakyus.

Lakyus smiled awkwardly, unsure of how to proceed. Gagaran's sudden gaze did nothing to ease her anxiety.

 _Well…this is actually not as bad as I predicted._ Ainz thought to himself.

He had been expecting the Blue Roses to corner him with sharp, rapid questions concerning the Sorcerer Kingdom's inner workings and his reasons for staying at E-Rantel.

 _It seems like everyone's just as clueless as I am! This is much more comfortable than my conversations with Albedo and Demiurge. Hmm…maybe I should take the initiative and set the pace and direction of the conversation in my favor._

This was something he had learnt as a salary man, before coming to the New World. While he was never an outspoken person at meetings, he learnt quite a lot about negotiation and discussion from his more active co-workers and superiors.

"Ahem. If I may…"

Ainz felt the pressure of everyone's gaze land on him. Not for the first time, Ainz was grateful for his undead passive which suppressed emotion. He could not afford to act nervous in front of his fellow Adamantite adventurers-especially if he wanted Momon the Dark Hero to stand above them all.

"I understand that you all have concerns regarding the integrity behind His Majesty the Sorcerer King's invitation. I shall get straight to the point. As far as I know, the invitation is legitimate. I have not caught wind of any underlying plot from my connections within E-Rantel. In addition, I have personally witnessed the construction of the hotel and the dungeon complex. Both the hotel and dungeon are massive architectural projects, most likely a display of His Majesty's wealth and power. I can also personally confirm that His Majesty's desire to reform and improve the Adventurer's Guild is genuine. I hope that eliminates any doubts regarding the coming event. If you do come, I will do my best to guarantee your safety."

At those words, an excited squeal escaped from Evileye, before being quickly suppressed by the embarrassed vampire.

Lakyus felt obligated to shift attention away from her friend, and quickly asked what almost everyone at the table was wondering:

"Momon-san, does that mean Darkness will be attending the event as well?"

"That is correct."

Gagaran decided to speak:

"Do you know which other notable adventurer groups or individuals have agreed to participate?"

The Dark Hero nodded. N _ow_ t _his is a question I can confidently answer!_

"To my knowledge, the Adamantite group "Crystal Tear" from the Draconic Kingdom has agreed to participate. "Eight Ripples" of the Baharuth Empire will be attending as well. The Holy Kingdom will be sending their strongest paladin, Remedios Custodio, as a representative. Adventurer groups who decided to stay in E-Rantel after the events of Katze plains such as the mythril ranked "Rainbow" will certainly be attending.

"Aside from those specific names, I've heard that the Sorcerer Kingdom has confirmed the arrival of thousands of interested adventures. Oh, and I think our fellow Adamantite group "Red Drop" has expressed interest towards the event as well."

"Ah…is that so?" Lakyus stated weakly.

Gagaran decided to change the topic.

"Is it true that healing and resurrections will be provided free of charge? Won't that clash with the doctrine of the temples? I mean, I know the Sorcerer King is undead and probably doesn't care, but is he really capable of carrying out on that promise?"

Ainz could hear Narberal snorting beside him.

 _What am I going to do with her?_

"Gagaran-san, do you really doubt Ainz Ooal Gown's ability after everything that's happened so far?"

The Blue Roses almost trembled at the mention of the Overlord's full name.

"I guess you're right."

"So am I correct to presume that your team will be present for the upcoming event."

Lakyus smiled, happy to finally have something to look forward to.

"Indeed, we shall."

The leader of Blue Rose offered her hand. The warrior of Darkness took it.

"Well, it seems our business here is concluded. Me and Nabe shall be making our-"

"M-Momon-san! Are you really okay being under the flag of that undead magic caster? What if anything happened to you?!"

"Evileye!"

Lakyus resisted the urge to smack her friend on the head.

Ainz felt taken aback at the vampire's sudden outburst. _Why does she care? What do I say? Dammit!_

But before the Overlord could come up with an appropriate answer, Nabe spoke for the first time since entering the room:

"Momon-sa..n does not require petty concern and misplaced worry from the likes of you. He is perfectly capable of handling himself, unlike certain incompetent inchworms."

Nobody knew what to say to that.

 _Well, at least she ended the conversation definitively…._ Ainz sighed beneath his black helmet.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6: Adamantite II**

 _Thanks for the review everyone! I'm very glad people found this fanfic enjoyable. Sorry for the short chapters, this is actually the first time writing anything with more than 2000 words so bear with me. Also, I hereby declare Pervy Sage Chuck as the "Master of Inchworms". ;) While chapters may be short, I'll try to make up for it with frequency. If this fanfic turns out to be a success, I'm considering writing some Overlord crossovers. Keep the reviews coming! Also, while I'm not a huge fan of OCs, but I'm afraid I'll have to start inserting some as the members of Red Drop and Crystal Tear have not been fully fleshed out yet in the Light Novel. I'll try to make a character sheet type list to keep track of any new characters I put in. Enjoy!_

* * *

 _On a forest path close to the city of E-Rantel._

Saphira Irithyll tried her best to suppress a surge of utter disgust.

She smiled bitterly as she remembered the pride she once felt at her potential and strength as an adventurer.

Crystal Tear, the last bastion of humanity against the hordes of savage demi-humans and the only adventurer group within the Draconic Kingdom worthy of the rank "Adamantite".

At least that was what they told themselves.

 _What a disgrace…_

Right now, the sole female Adamantite adventurer of the Draconic Kingdom stood outside the horse-drawn carriage that belonged to the leader of Crystal Tear.

Saphira's clenched her teeth as she heard the whimpering cries escaping from the confines of the vehicle. Even more distracting were the occasional masculine grunts that almost always accompanied them.

"Fierce Flash", Cerebrate. The de facto leader of Crystal Tear's reputation for unparalleled swordsmanship and speed was only matched by the notoriety of his perverted tendencies.

Cerebrate was a pedophile. Saphira recalled the way her leader looked at the Dragon Queen herself just days ago when she beseeched them to travel to the Sorcerer Kingdom on their nation's behalf.

However, Saphira knew nobody would ever say anything. Even Draudillon Oriculus had to force herself to smile under the man's lustful gaze.

The reason was simple.

Cerebrate was not simply the leader of Crystal Tear. One could say he was the sole reason the group was considered "Adamantite" level. Saphira had no illusions regarding the true power levels of her and her team mates. Crystal Tear existed so that the "Fierce Flash" could fully shine on the battlefield. The other three members of the team, Saphira herself included, existed to support Cerebrate. Unofficially, that support extended to more areas than just combat.

The biggest regret of her life was not choosing to join Optics when she'd been invited. Back then, she'd been naïve. _Where's the glory in that? They aren't even real adventurers!_

Saphira sighed. As if she felt any "glory" in her current position.

She had heard of how the strong were perceived in other nations.

The Blue Roses, a fellow Adamntite group in the Re-Estize Kingdom, were hailed as heroes, esteemed and worshipped by citizens and adventurers alike.

The now-deceased Gazef Stronoff had the title of "Strongest Warrior", and the warrior-captain inspired respect and acknowledgment as not only a man of strength, but an individual with integrity.

The seven scriptures of the Slane Theocracy inspired fear and reverence in neighboring countries. Their mysterious Black Scripture is even hailed by many to be the strongest weapon of humanity itself.

Fluder Paradyne, the strongest magic caster, stood at the pinnacle of magical knowledge and served as a keystone in the Baharuth Empire's foundation of power.

The Eight Ripples and elite knights of the Baharuth Empire, while not overwhelmingly powerful individually, could face insurmountable odds while working in unison.

The paladins of the Holy Kingdom were an elite fighting force that wielded formidable holy powers. Their organization was an embodiment of the nation's commitment to the ideals of justice.

Recently, Saphira had heard rumors of a new Adamantite party called "Darkness". From what she'd heard, their leader, Momon the Dark Hero, possessed the blood of the Gods and power rivalling even the Thirteen Heroes. She'd even seen some figurines of the black armored adventurer while shopping at the market, imported all the way from the city of E-Rantel.

Saphira wanted to pull her long, red hair out in frustration.

Crystal Tear inspired no respect even in their own country. Families would rather tell their children stories of Gagaran of Blue Rose than raise their children to admire what they considered a pedophile and his lackeys. Most citizens acted with respect while interacting with them out of necessity but looked on with disgust behind their backs.

Everyone knew that Crystal Tear was crucial in holding back the demi-human hordes.

Everyone also knew that their leader took under-aged girls to his bed on a whim.

Lost in her thoughts, Saphira was startled when a voice spoke out from behind her.

"It's almost time to get going, we should call him out."

Saphira turned to face a lean, tan skinned man with dark, unkempt hair.

It was her fellow party member, Krusty Cohenn.

"You do it."

After shooting another disdainful look at her leader's carriage, the female adventurer walked past Krusty and left without another word.

* * *

Krusty sighed.

Saphira Irithyll was a difficult woman. As the sole magic caster of the group, Saphira proved many times to be invaluable as a team member. Her frost and illusion magic had gotten them out of potentially fatal situations countless times in the past. However, Krusty found it very difficult to get along with the cold, red haired woman. Indeed, at times he found even Cerebrate more preferable to be around.

Unlike Saphira, Krusty did not hate the leader of Crystal Tear.

As a scout and occasionally a backliner for the group, it was Krusty's duty to be a keen observer. He knew fully well that an Adamantite Group such as theirs, especially one fighting constantly against demi-humans, had no room for internal strife. Mutual distrust and animosity would only lead to their downfall, of that he was sure.

Regardless of his flaws, Krusty had no doubt that Cerebrate was a man the Draconic Kingdom sorely needed, especially now. Krusty understood that the Dragon Queen was taking a massive gamble in allowing the sole Adamantite party in the country to leave for a foreign nation. If Crystal Tear could not obtain help from the Sorcerer Kingdom in time, the Draconic Kingdom would be finished by the time they returned.

 _That woman cares way too much about what others think of her._

That was the problem with Saphira, Krusty thought to himself. Behind those cold, calculating blue eyes, Krusty could always sense a hint of insecurity. Krusty personally thought that such petty emotions should never get in the way of the bigger picture. Krusty cared not about how much respect others had for him as long as he could save as many people as he could.

Turning his senses back to the matter at hand, Krusty approached the now silent carriage and knocked.

"Hey, it's time to go!"

* * *

Tosh Hiro wasn't a very bright person. His preferred method of solving problems involved running headfirst into obstacles as hard as he could. Even if he knocked himself out as a result, he'd always just get back up and repeat the process, rather than try to think his way around it.

From when he was a boy, many of those around him had laughed at him, claiming that he would never amount to anything.

As he stood by the side of a river, Tosh took a look at his reflection within the crystalline waters. A young male with spiky black hair and big, honest eyes looked back at him. An Adamantite plate around his neck.

He had proved them wrong.

Tosh beamed with pride as he recalled the day him and his eight friends had finally risen to the rank of Adamantite. He knew could have never gotten to where he was without the help of those he cherished. To him,"Eight Ripples" was family.

 _That's right. There's nothing more important than friendship and hard work._

A timid voice broke his moment of contemplation.

"T-Tosh-kun, why are you out here all by yourself? Everybody's getting ready for practice!"

Tosh scratched his head and turned to looked at his friend, Luna Mathis. Luna was the newest member of their team, and the only addition to the group after "Eight Ripples" was initially formed.

There were many who wondered why a group of nine called themselves the "Eight Ripples". The answer was simple. Their leader had decided Luna would be a worthy addition and accepted her into the team. Luna proved to be more than capable as an off-healer, and her timid yet caring personality allowed her to get along with pretty much everyone within the group.

"Sorry, Luna. I'll be returning now."

Tosh turned away from the river and started walking towards Luna.

Luna shot a curious look at her friend, before joining his side as the two of them made their way back to camp.

Shortly after leaving the river, the two adventurers arrived at a field of grass covered with tents.

As they approached, a silver haired beauty stormed towards them, great annoyance apparent in her emerald green eyes.

"Where have you been?!"

Tosh clasped his hands together and bowed deeply in apology. As he did this, he could not help but feel that the leader of "Eight Ripples" looked great even when her face was puffed up in anger.

"Sorry, Rosaline-senpai! I didn't realize my actions caused you such worry!"

Hearing this, the young woman looked away and half-blushed.

"Well, it's not like I was worried about you or anything."

Tosh was confused. Eh? Did I say something wrong?

Next to him, Luna puffed up her cheeks. The petite blonde grabbed Tosh's arm and pulled him close to her. Tosh could feel something soft and round pressing on his arm.

"Well, _I_ was worried!"

Tosh felt a sudden inexplicable pressure as Rosaline and Luna locked gazes.

Fortunately, another voice rang out from behind Rosaline.

"Hey, we have to start training already! We need to be in top shape by the time we arrive at the Sorcerer King's big event. Come on guys!"

Tosh exhaled with relief. His friend, Ron Harum, had a knack for dissolving intense situations.

The two girls relaxed at his words. Luna excused herself to go fetch her staff from her tent.

Rosaline frowned.

"Honestly, that girl should know her place."

"It's my fault! It was me that went and made everyone worry in the first place! Don't blame Luna!"

Tosh cried out in protest. To him, protecting his friends was instinct.

The female leader of "Eight Ripples" gave Tosh a strange look. Eventually, Rosaline couldn't help herself and started laughing.

"Don't ever change, Tosh-kun."

With that, the silver-haired young woman turned and headed back from the direction she came.

Tosh had a bewildered expression on his face. _Did I say something right?_

Ron gave an exasperated sigh.

"Let's just go."

Tosh and Ron followed after Rosaline, and the three of them met up with the rest of the group.

Tosh picked up his sword and raised it.

"Let's work hard, everybody!"

* * *

 _Sorry if this wasn't the most exciting chapter. I needed to introduce some of the characters of Eight Ripples and Crystal Tear so that we can enjoy Ainz's interaction with other Adamantite groups later on. If you haven't already figured, Tosh Hiro is supposed to be your typical harem anime protagonist: good natured, not so smart, semi-strong power level (kind of like an extreme version of Climb). I thought that it would be interesting to put that into an Overlord setting._


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7: The Upcoming Event

* * *

 _The Sorcerer King's Study, Nazarick's Base of Operations at E-Rantel_

 _Ah..I wish Dark Wisdom extended to more than just spells…_

Ainz gazed helplessly at the huge stack of documents piled on top of the desk in front of him. The Supreme Being struggled to recall half of what he'd read.

 _The upcoming event has only served to increase my workload. I was hoping to just run around playing adventurer the whole time. This entire plan has backfired._

"Ainz-sama, is something the matter?" asked a maid-uniformed young woman with long, shining long blonde.

As Ainz glanced at the large, concerned round eyes behind Lumiére's glasses, he could not help but think of an overly enthusiastic puppy concerned for its master. He chided himself at the thought.

"…."

"A-Ainz-sama..?"

Ainz quickly made up his mind.

"Umu, would you mind calling Overseer Albedo here please? I need to have a word with her."

"Yes, right away, my lord!" Lumiére replied, taking a quick bow before rushing out to follow her master's instructions.

 _Hmm..it seems I'll have to bluff my way through this again. I just hope I can get some straightforward answers this time._

Moments later, an unparalleled beauty entered the study. She possessed perfect white skin and raven black hair, wearing an elegant white dress that emphasized a captivating figure. A pair of small black wings fluttered excitedly at her sides.

"Ainz-sama! How may I serve?" asked Albedo, her voice dripping with a seductive tone. As the Succubus spoke, she rapidly closed the distance and appeared only inches away in front of her master.

 _Close, too close!_

"A-ahem. I simply wanted to discuss some of these documents with you. Several details have drawn my attentions, and I would like to hear your thoughts regarding these matters."

Albedo's wings drooped in disappointment. She gave a slight pout before resuming her usual serious expression. The Guardian Overseer stood up straight and spoke in an attentive tone.

"Absolutely, my lord. I am honored to be of even the paltriest assistance to your great work!"

 _That's exactly the attitude I was afraid of._

"Do you mind giving a brief summary of the updates regarding the event that will is being held in two days time?"

Albedo revealed a surprised expression.

 _Is there some hidden meaning to his request? Surely my love already knows each detail like the back of his hand?! After all, he engineered all of it in the first place!_

Seeing his subordinate's barely concealed surprise, Ainz quickly added:

"I simply wanted to make it easier for us to pinpoint specific matters, that's all."

After a moment of contemplation, Albedo's face lit up and replied enthusiastically:

"I see…As expected of Ainz-sama!"

Although relieved that his request did not lead Albedo to doubt his ability, Ainz could not help but worry that he had once again created more work for himself as he felt the renewed intensity of the succubus's reverent gaze.

"I shall hereby begin my summation of the recent updates regarding the upcoming event."

"First and foremost, the construction, furnishing and staffing of the Nazarick Hotel has been successfully completed under the supervision of Yuri Alpha. We expect to be able to officially open its doors in two days at the start of the event."

"Out of the five hundred adventurer teams expected to attend, we have received over four hundred room reservations, and most of the adventurers have decided to stay at the Hotel. The remaining adventurers have decided to lodge either at E-Rantel or by camping near the event location."

"Not counting Ainz-sama's Darkness, the Adamantite Adventurer teams Blue Rose, Crystal Tear, Red Drop, as well as the representative from the Holy Kingdom have all agreed to stay at a shared suite exclusive to Adamantite Adventurers. However, the Adamantite party "Eight Ripples" has sent a letter asking for a separate suit of their own, a request we have decided to accommodate. In addition, Red Drop has informed us that they may arrive a day late to the event."

"What were their reasons for requesting a separate suite?" interrupted Ainz. That detail was the only one that stuck out to him among the rest.

'I believe that the reason stated in the letter was that "Families should stick together." Due to the fact that the Eight Ripples possess considerably more members than the average Adamantite party, we believe that granting them their own room was the appropriate option."

The Overlord nodded in agreement. However, he could not help but feel that the reason given by the "Eight Ripples" sounded rather….strange. Ainz gestured at Albedo to continue.

"Mare has finished with his work, and the Master Dungeon will be ready for use by the time of the event. We have begun to consider reducing the number of undead staff members and replacing them with human employees in order to create more job opportunities and subsequently help boost the economy of the surrounding area. However, these changes will not be implemented until after the event, and not until the new Adventurers Guild has been fully established. Ultimately, humans are not as reliable."

Albedo added the last sentence with a hint of disdain.

"We have also received requests to attend the event from numerous "worker" teams."

 _Workers? Aren't they basically just unregistered adventurers?_

Ainz tried to draw upon his knowledge of the New World. Simply put, if adventurers were equivalent to monster-hunting mercenaries for hire under the jurisdiction of the Guild, workers were free lancers who rejected the idea of following established rules. Ainz recalled that the humans who had invaded the Great Tomb of Nazarick, and then captured, tortured or killed as a result, were workers.

Albedo continued: "Considering that the workers and the Adventurer's Guild have historically been at odds, we have rejected all worker requests in order to avoid conflict between them and the adventurers and to preserve the legitimacy of our efforts to expand and improve the current Adventurer's Guild. However, we intend to provide means for workers to prove their worth to the Sorcerer Kingdom and re-join the Guild in the future. Of course, this is all part of the bigger plan to reform the adventurer profession."

Albedo looked at Ainz expectantly, as if awaiting his acknowledgment or some sign of confirmation.

 _What? Where did all of this come from?! I was never told about any of this! Play along..play along…_

"Umu, yes. I am glad you are so well in tune with my wishes."

"Oh Ainz-sama, I am not worthy of your praise! I have yet to scratch even the surface of your brilliant schemes. I feel honored to be able to deliver such a meager fragment of your grand design. I shall work even harder to ensure that the entirety of your wishes come to fruition!"

 _What, there's more? What wishes? Can't they just focus on "world domination" or something straightforward like that?_

"Regardless, your efforts are worthy of praise. Do you have anything to add to your summary?" Setting aside his concerns, Ainz addressed the succubus once more.

"Hmm..I believe that is all, my lord. I am very much looking forward to the brilliant speech that you will be giving during the commencement ceremony!" Albedo replied happily.

"…"

 _Crap._

* * *

 _The Golden Pavillion, E-Rantel_

"Why are we staying here when we've already reserved a room at the hotel?"

Tosh Hiro couldn't help but express his confusion.

"The Nazarick Hotel isn't going to be open until two days later. We will be headed to the event location at the Great Forest of Tob tomorrow and arrive in time for the commencement ceremony. After the ceremony, we will stay at the hotel for the duration of our visit. However, for tonight, we will be staying here. Besides, I like this place." Rosaline explained patiently.

As the leader of "Eight Ripples", she had been responsible for planning out most of the trip. Rosaline understood that some of her fellow team mates were not very good at thinking about things in depth. As a matter of fact, she thought that that aspect of his personality was part of what made Tosh so endearing.

 _He's so full of passion!_

"Anyway, we have more important things to discuss." said a gruff voice from a corner of the large, luxurious room. There, a large muscular man stood with his arms crossed in front of his large chest. Brock Mason was the dedicated tank of the group, and the long scars that marred his tanned face were a testament to his experience as a warrior of the highest order. In the face of danger, Brock had the responsibility of being the first to intercept the enemy and act as a bulwark for the entire team. Wielding his signature flail and shield, Brock probably risked his life more than anyone else in the "Eight Ripples".

"First, let's talk about the Sorcerer King."

The rest of the Adamantite party shivered at the mention of the being that had subjugated their empire. They had walked through the streets of E-Rantel just moments ago, and what they had seen was…nobody had the words to describe it.

Upon arriving at the city gates, they were greeted by-to their surprise-normal city guards. Tosh remembered the urgency in the men's voices as they gave them their warning:

"Please do not draw your weapons under any circumstances. You will be immediately killed as a result."

While slightly alarmed by the guard's grave tone, the group had initially dismissed the words as a hollow warning. The "Eight Ripples" were not ones to keep their weapons sheathed in times of danger or injustice, not even under royal decree. Ultimately, there were few who could actually hold a group of their power responsible.

However, as they travelled further into the city, they quickly understood that the guards' words were absolutely for their own safety.

 _Death Knights._

The adventurer party doubted that they could come up with a more fitting name to describe the towering monstrosities that stood guard throughout the city of E-Rantel. Just a single one of the Death Knights emanated such an aura of oppression and overwhelming bloodlust that was enough to make the "Eight Ripples" tremble. There must have been at least a hundred of them across the entire city of E-Rantel, all acting as mere guards.

 _There is no army in the world capable of withstanding such a force._

However, the shock did not end there. Trotting through the streets _towing wagons_ were monsters that surpassed even the Death Knights. The "Eight Ripples" had only ever heard of these creatures in the darkest of legends. Most of them had assumed they were myth. Until now.

 _Soul Eaters. Undead monsters capable of destroying kingdoms. The Sorcerer King used them as….donkeys._

Compared to such monsters, scenes such as elder lich administrators, a "demihuman district" and Dwarven Runecraft shops seemed almost normal. _Almost._

The "Eight Ripples" had never understood why the Baharuth Empire had been so quick to agree to become a vassal state under an undead ruler. The group had not been present during the Katze Plains Massacre, and while they had heard rumors of what had happened, they found it hard to believe any of the outlandish claims.

Even if the Sorcerer King was strong, they could not imagine a scenario in which the Blood Emperor would give in so easily. While they did not always approve of Emperor Jircniv's ruthless methods, they had to acknowledge that the Blood Emperor was a very intelligent, capable, and above all, ambitious man.

Now, however, they understood. The answer lay before their eyes, in this very city.

"I hear that the Sorcerer King defeated Gazef Stronoff in single combat." added Ron Harum, a grim expression on his face.

Tosh's eyes widened at the words of his friend.

Tosh had always been a fan of the warrior-captain. While he'd been sad after hearing of Gazef's deaths, he was never told how the man died. Tosh had imagined that the "strongest warrior" fell in combat fighting against thousands of enemies. That made the most sense, after all.

Sensing Tosh's reaction, Luna tried to say a few words of comfort.

"Knowing Gazef Stronoff-sama, it was probably a very close fight."

Hearing Luna's words, Tosh nodded vigorously. _Pull yourself together, Stronoff-sama died a warrior's death._

"You're right Luna. I'm sure he put up one hell of a fight." Tosh replied with a fierce smile.

Luna blushed as Tosh looked at her, his eyes full of energy.

Behind them, Irina Carim rolled her eyes. The young, brown-haired female adventurer was clad in a suit of golden-hued chain mail. Her violet pupils shone with annoyance as she gazed at Tosh and Luna.

"What is most appalling to me is how the people living here are acting. They seem absolutely at ease around monsters that we, as Adamantite adventurers, are reluctant to even approach. What's more, they seem completely comfortable interacting with demi-humans on a daily basis!"

As a paladin, Irina had been more horrified than anyone else in the group to learn that the Empire was under the control of an undead ruler. She had even begged her team members to leave the Empire like their fellow Adamantite party, Silver Thread Bird had. However, everyone else had tried to talk her out of the idea of leaving and in the end, she reluctantly chose to stay behind with her friends.

Although Irina was highly religious, she was no fanatic. She cared little about the destruction of the undead or the purging of non-human races. In the end, all she wanted was for the common folk to live the happy life that she had been denied as a child. That was why coming to E-Rantel made her more confused than ever.

Not once in her life had she been to a city as peaceful and content as E-Rantel under the Sorcerer Kingdom. Despite the presence of overwhelmingly powerful undead, the people seemed… _happy._ There was no crime. Poverty was rapidly declining due to efforts by the Sorcerer King. People were not discriminated based on status. No one could be a bully without being punished.

 _But the undead were evil…._

Of that she had no doubt.

"Um…Irina? Are you alright?"

Rosaline's concerned voice snapped the paladin out of her thoughts.

"O-of course, leader. I was just thinking about the situation of the city, that's all."

Rosaline frowned.

"I thought I told you to stop calling me that."

"Did the Sorcerer King agree to our request in the end?" interrupted a new voice.

The voice belonged to a pale, raven haired woman wearing jet black robes. Selena Magala was the team's sole offensive magic caster. Although Selena hated the term, she was what many would consider a "witch." Selena was a wielder of dark magic, and her mastery of both the necromantic arts and the offensive hex magic made her a unique and versatile magic caster. She had been especially excited to come to the Sorcerer Kingdom, as she had heard that the nation's ruler was undead.

What intrigued Selena the most was the fact the Sorcerer King, Ainz Ooal Gown, did not fit into any of the descriptions of undead that Selena was familiar with. The closest match she could think of was the skeleton mage. However, Selena knew that no skeleton mage could wield that kind of power.

Selena's intrigue quickly transformed into awe, and soon into pure terror as she witnessed the undead creatures in E-Rantel. Selena knew better than anyone else what sort of power was required to summon such creatures. Above all else, she knew that the power to effectively control even one of those monsters was beyond the pinnacle of humanity.

If Irina's doubt and fear transformed into hope and intrigue after coming to the city, then Selena's development could be considered the complete opposite of her comrade. However, despite the absolute terror that she felt, Selena could not suppress the desire to learn more about the being behind all of it. _What_ exactly was Ainz Ooal Gown?

Selena decided not to allow her thoughts to stray any further. Currently, there was a more immediate issue she needed to know about.

"Well, _leader_?" she asked.

Rosaline rolled her eyes at the witch before addressing the question.

"The answer is yes. They have indeed agreed to prepare a room for us. I apologize for causing everyone trouble. However, I simply cannot afford to have anyone outside of our circle know about…me."

"Don't be ridiculous, we'll do everything we can to protect Rosaline-senpai's secret!" Tosh immediately protested.

Everyone else in the room aside from Rosaline nodded in agreement.

"Rosaline, you don't have to apologize about your…ability. If anything, your power is our ultimate trump card." added Ron in a reassuring tone.

Rosaline smiled bitterly. _If only it was as great and simple as you made it sound._

At that moment, an unrelated thought struck her.

"Why aren't the two of them back yet?"


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8: Adamantite III

 ** _E-Rantel, Demi-human district_**

Mavrik Fenix and Rayna Marigold could not help but feel like they had walked into a den of monsters. All around them, humanoid creatures of all shapes and sizes walked, slithered and crawled about their own business, paying little heed to the two awe-stricken adventurers in the middle of the street.

There were snake-like creatures with the heads of cobras, humanoid bodies and long, pointed tails.

There were bizarre creatures that resembled a cross between maggots and eels.

There were creatures that looked like apes with silver hair and fangs.

As a group of towering humanoids with the heads of saber-toothed cats passed by the two adventurers, one of their members bared their fangs at Rayna in what may have been a grin. It took all of the female adventurer's willpower not to yelp in fear.

In a startled voice, Rayna turned to her friend and asked: "Where did all these things come from? I've never even heard of most of them."

Already in his mid-thirties, Mavrik Fenix was the oldest of the members of the "Eight Ripples". Not only that, he was an incredibly knowledgeable individual. Mavrik had worked at the Great Library of Arwintar for years before becoming an adventurer, and his vast repertoire of information had helped the team out in many occasions. Drawing upon his knowledge of demi-humans, Mavrik replied:

"I've read that a great number of so-called beast-men live near the borders of the Holy Kingdom. I believe that some of these creatures match the description of those beast-men. Hmmm….I think the ones that just passed us are known as "Zoastia". The ones who resembled primates are "stone-eaters"."

Rayna's eyes widened in shock.

"The Holy Kingdom? Then what are they doing all the way over here?"

"It is most likely that these creatures have relocated to the Sorcerer Kingdom after their recent loss against the forces of the Holy Kingdom. Also, lower your voice, will you?" Mavrik urged, a hint of panic in his voice as several demi-humans shot skeptical glances at them.

Rayna and Mavrik had been tasked to explore the city of E-Rantel in order to get a grasp of the city's social and political situation. Rayna was chosen for her talent, "detect hidden", which allowed the talent-holder to identify hidden areas and stealthed enemies. Mavrik had volunteered to accompany her as he understood that Rayna was not the most..subtle individual. After all, her weapon of choice happened to be a massive war hammer. Everyone else in the group agreed.

After visiting the headquarters of the adventurer's guild and the open market, the two had gotten wind that there was a "demi-human district" within the city. Highly intrigued by the idea of such a place, Mavrik and Rayna had decided to tour the district before reporting back to Rosaline.

Now, they were beginning to regret that decision.

"Oi, you two!"

Just as the two adventurers began entertaining the idea of leaving, a voice called out to them.

Mavrik and Rayna turned and were almost relieved to see that the speaker was a dwarf. The demi-human beckoned them over with a curious expression on his bearded face.

"The two of you've got some nerve strolling around this place! Judging by your looks, you guys aren't from around here, are you?" asked the dwarf.

Before Mavrik could open his mouth to respond, Rayna reached out and touched the dwarf's beard.

"Wh-what are you doing?!"

The dwarf cried out, tumbling backwards, but Rayna took a step forward and began stroking it, a delighted gleam in her eyes.

"So soft….fluffy" Rayna seemed oblivious to the dwarf's protests as she continued to stroke the demihuman's long, brown facial hair.

Mavrik panicked. _This is not good, she's being weird again. Dammit, we're drawing attention to ourselves!_

"Rayna, stop!" The male adventurer made a fist and pounded the girl in the back of her head, finally stopping the girl.

Rayna pouted as she rubbed the part that had been struck.

"Ouch."

Mavrik sighed and turned to the bewildered dwarf.

"I'm terribly sorry about her behavior, my companion can be a bit too affectionate at times. I assure you that she meant no harm." he apologized.

The dwarf, though highly flustered, did not seem to be angry. As a matter of fact, a deep flush began to spread across the demi-human's tanned face.

"W-well…I'll let it go this time. Anyway, the name's Gondo Firebeard. The two of you better get outta here soon. The newcomers to the district are a lot rowdier than the dwarves, elves, goblins and lizardmen that lived here originally. Most of our human neighbors don't come here as often either, after the arrivals from the Holy Kingdom started taking up residence here. I don't want there to be any trouble for his Majesty."

Gondo's mention of the Sorcerer King piqued Mavrik's interest.

"Before we leave, do you mind if we ask a few questions?" he asked.

Gondo grunted before nodding. "Alright, but make it quick."

Surprised that the dwarf agreed to his request, Mavrik quickly fired off his first question.

"What do you think of the Sorcerer King?"

Gondo's eyes lit up at the question.

"His Majesty? Well that…being's a living god, that's what he is. Those blasted priests at the Slane Theocracy should learn a thing or two about divinity from His Majesty. Intelligence, power, wealth, he's got it all."

 _Hmm..so he's a fan. That's interesting._ Mavrik thought to himself.

"How's E-Rantel holding up?"

Gondo snorted "How does it look like we're holding up? His Majesty doesn't let anything bad happen around here under his watch, that's for sure."

"How come he opened up a demi-human district? What's the point?" Rayna asked suddenly, a curious look on her face.

Gondo's eyes flashed with irritation at the question.

"I don't know girly, why should we be treated fairly alongside you humans anyway? If that's all, I'll be taking my leave."

After giving the two adventurers an indignant look, Gondo turned and disappeared into the crowd.

Rayna frowned. "Is he still mad at me for touching his beard? I couldn't help myself, it looked like a ball of fluff attached itself to his face!"

Mavrik decided to pretend not to hear her.

With that, the two members of "Eight Ripples" retraced their steps and headed back to the Golden Pavillion.

However, as they neared the entrance of the inn, a man approached them.

The individual was clad in dark hooded robes, but the cowl that concealed the man's eyes did little to hide the cold grin on his face. Rayna gave a slight gasp as she glanced at the man's most starling feature-in place of his right hand, there was a hook made of what looked like pure crystal.

"Well, if it isn't the "Eight Ripples". I have been hoping to find you."

* * *

Saphira and Krusty looked at each other and gave a collective sigh of frustration.

While the two adventurers were not exactly close, they understood each other very well.

That was because the two of them were the only members of Crystal Tear that could be considered…normal, at least in the context of Adamantite Adventurers.

Cerabrate's overwhelming strength, paired with his notorious sexual tastes, naturally made him stand out as an individual that defied the expectations typically attributed to the "pinnacle of humanity."

However, aside from him, there was another member of Crystal Tear that was…problematic, to say the least.

Even after years of fighting together, Saphira and Krusty still barely knew a thing about the man. In fact, only Cerabrate was aware of his true name. The two of them knew him only as _Cowl._

While Cerabrate was incredibly strong, Saphira and Krusty did not fear him. He was a pedophile, yes, but aside from that, the man had a relatively predictable personality. In the end, he was still human.

Cowl was a different story.

He and Cerabrate had been a team long before "Crystal Tear" had been formed as a group of four. When the Draconic Kingdom had introduced Krusty and Saphira to the "Fierce Flash" and encouraged him to form a party, Cerabrate had initially scoffed at the idea. It was Cowl who persuaded Cerabrate to let them join. As a matter of fact, the name "Crystal Tear" was coined by that very man.

Neither Saphira nor Krusty had ever seen Cowl fight.

Cowl acted as a "support" role. The peculiar thing was, whenever a monster approached Cowl, they would pass by him as if he wasn't there. Likewise, Cowl never paid attention to any of the monsters, and concentrated all his efforts on boosting the performance of his team members.

Krusty recalled the one and only time in which Cowl had appeared to be in actual danger. They had been fighting a horde of fire elementals, and the leader of the creatures channeled a large area of effect fire blast attack at them in a desperate attempt to wipe them out. Right before Cowl was hit by the attack, the world suddenly seemed to freeze in place. Moments later, Cowl stood safely out of range, almost as if he had been standing there all along.

While Cowl acted as "support", he wasn't any kind of classified magic caster. Cowl was a strategist above anything else. In the heat of battle, his calm, collected words would somehow reach each member of the team, each instruction methodically calculated and delivered without hesitation. Cowl dictated the pace of the battle behind the scenes, constantly observing and analyzing the situation. Indeed, at times it seemed as if he was an outside entity rather than a participant. However, everyone in the team knew that the man's strategies were just as important in keeping them alive as Cerabrate's raw power.

Saphira had once asked Cowl how his powers worked. The hooded man had simple called it his "passive ability", whatever that meant.

Just a few moments ago, Cowl had excused himself, telling his fellow party members that he needed to go out for some air. Of course, no one believed that that was all the man wanted to do outside, but no one bothered to stop him either.

"Hmm…maybe we should go and check on him, just to see what he's doing. This city is not a place for us to be simply strolling around." murmured Krusty. Saphira grimaced at the suggestion.

Cowl was a mystery, one Saphira did not see herself unraveling any time soon. However, the current circumstances were nothing the likes of which they'd dealt with before.

The Sorcerer Kingdom.

Unlike the other adventurer teams from the Re-Estize Kingdom or the Baharuth Empire, "Crystal Tear" knew next to nothing about the only recently established nation. To the denizens of the Draconic Kingdom, the idea of "power" was almost always associated with the image of dragons. As powerful as Cerabrate was, "Crystal Tear" knew that they would be obliterated in the face of a true Dragon Lord. Saphira had heard stories of the floating fortress of Eryuentiu, and the platinum-scaled god that lay within, and of the Deep Darkness Dragon Lord's ravaging power. Dragons were a breed above all else, the pinnacle of existence.

Or at least, that was the reality they knew before having arrived at E-Rantel.

Saphira now understood why they had been sent to a foreign kingdom when their own nation was at the brink of destruction. She understood perfectly.

No force in the world stood a chance against this undying king.

* * *

"Is there something you need? I don't believe we've met before." Mavrik asked as he eyed the hooded stranger, his voice thick with suspicion.

"Ah, yes. My apologies for the abrupt greeting. My acquaintances know me as Cowl. I am a member of "Crystal Tear".

Mavrik's eyes widened in surprise. The man did not look like an adventurer. He had expected this "Cowl" to be a servant of the Sorcerer King. The hooded man's strange appearance certainly looked the part.

Cowl continued: "Forgive me if this seems a bit random, but I was wondering whether or not you could introduce me to your leader, Rosaline."

"Why are you interested in Rosa-senpai?" piped Rayna, who was still staring at Cowl's crystal hook.

"Hmm…I happen to be aware of your leader's….unique condition. I have a personal interest in her special talents."

At those words, Mavrik and Rayna immediately tensed. Rayna unconsciously switched into a preparatory battle stance, her hand slowly reaching for her hammer.

To call Rosaline's secret a closely guarded secret would be an understatement. "The Eight Ripples" considered themselves to be nothing less than a family, and their party leader was the one who had brought them together. There should not have been anyone with knowledge of Rosaline's condition outside of the group. The man in front of them…just who was he?

 _A threat._

Both having come to this conclusion, Mavrik and Rayna prepared to fight.

However, the moment Rayna's hand tightened its grip on her hammer in preparation to draw it, the entire atmosphere around them changed.

The two towering Death Knights than had initially been standing dead still beside the entrance of the Golden Pavillion shifted, and a wave of intense blood lust flooded the area. Two pairs of glowing red eyes of burning hatred turned their gaze upon the three Adamantite adventurers. A Soul Eater that had been trotting nearby suddenly stopped in its tracks. Rather than emanate a raging blood lust, the fleshless horse's eyes flickered with a pale yellow flame as it turned its head to face the three humans. An eerie, emerald mist emanated from the undead creature, forming an aura that seemed to suck the life out of the very air itself.

The two members of the "Eight Ripples" immediately froze, suddenly realizing that any sudden movement would mean certain death

Even Cowl seemed to recoil in worry at the Soul Eater's unholy gaze.

"My, my, there's no need to get all defensive. I was just hoping to have a little chat, that's all." the hooded man quickly reassured the two adventurers, carefully avoiding any sudden movements.

Before Mavrik and Rayna could bring themselves to react, a large figure burst out of the inn.

"What's going on here?! I could-"

Gagaran stopped in her tracks as she felt the aura emanating from the undead. Slowly and cautiously, the massive female adventurer swept her gaze across the area, taking in the situation before her. Her eyes finally fixated on the Rayna, who was still frozen in fear.

"Hey, girlie, let go of the hammer." Gagaran demanded in a low, yet highly urgent voice.

Rayna, suddenly jolted to her senses. She quickly nodded at Gagaran and removed her grip from the weapon.

With that, the wave of bloodlust that had just seconds ago threatened to engulf the adventurers subsided as the Death Knights turned back into passive, unmoving figures. The Soul Eater turned away from the adventurers and trotted away, and the spectral mist around it dissipated.

Gagaran heaved a huge sigh of relief.

"Mavrik! Rayna!"

"What happened?"

"Why have you two been gone for so long?"

At that moment, the rest of the "Eight Ripples" rushed out from behind Gagaran, their voices filled with concern.

As the silver haired Rosaline appeared among them, Cowl observed her for several seconds, the expression on his face obscured by the shadows of his hood. Rosaline felt a tingle of unease as she felt the stranger's cool gaze upon her, but as she looked in his direction, Cowl was already gone.

At the sight of her friends, Rayna burst out crying.

"I thought I was going to die!"

Hearing this, the seven other members of the Eight Ripples turned to look at Mavrik questioningly.

Mavrik gave a weak smile, his face still pale from the recent events.

"We'll talk about it later."

Gagaran could no longer hold back her impatience

"What are you people _thinking_?"

"This is not a place for you to be playing around. If that girl were to have drawn her weapon, who knows what would have happened!" she fumed, her voice filled with irritation.

"It's obvious what would have happened. Everyone involved would be killed su~."

The adventurers all turned towards the unfamiliar, cheerful voice. Perched atop the roof of the Golden Pavillion's entrance hall was a young woman in a maid outfit. Even the female adventurers stared in awe at the newcomer's raw physical beauty. The young woman's lascivious curves rippled underneath her strange outfit, while her hazel skin seemingly glowed in the sunlight as she leaned against a massive silver cross-like scepter.

"Aw, you know it's rude to stare, su~. I felt something exciting going on here so I decided to come see. You guys should listen to the big man-woman over there. Lord Ainz doesn't like trouble su~!"

Lupusregina lazily swept her gaze across the humans below her. However, as her eyes reached a certain individual, she stiffened. The Pleiade's yellow eyes began sparkling with curiosity and a hint of amusement.

" _I know what you are. We share something…special."_

Rosaline heard the words as if they had been whispered directly into her ears. Glancing around, she noticed that no one else seemed to have noticed the maid say anything. As she looked back up at the strange young woman, she caught, or rather, _felt_ a glimpse of something darker, almost sinister behind the maid's bright, cheerful smile. The sensation lasted only for the briefest of moments before disappearing behind the young woman's sunny countenance once more.

"Well, I'll be off now. See ya tomorrow, su~!"

Before anyone knew how to respond, Lupusregina gave the adventurers a merry wave of farewell, before leaping off of the building and out of sight. The adventurers gaped in awe of the young maid's speed and acrobatic ability.

Gagaran sighed and returned to her room, where the rest of the "Blue Roses" were waiting.

 _I should have let the twins come out to investigate instead..._


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9: The Commencement Ceremony

Hey guys, I'm officially back in action! I'll be posting as frequently as I can for the next week or so. Please review so that I know I'm on track and for me to improve my story as much as I can for everyone! If you have any questions you can message/review as well! As you all can see, I'm trying to make the chapters longer now. Enjoy!

* * *

 _In front of the gates of the Nazarick Hotel_

Momonga would be lying to himself if he said that he never missed being human. The passive emotion nullification ability deprived him of his ability to enjoy food, drink, and all the…..other pleasures of life.

However, the Overlord understood that his emotion suppressor was a crucial tool for role playing the Supreme Being of Nazarick. Without it, he had little doubt that his façade would crumble at the very moment of crisis or temptation.

At that very moment, standing in front of the Nazarick Hotel, facing thousands of adventurers from all across the New World, Suzuki Satoru could not help but feel massively relieved that he no longer had a stomach.

He glanced at Albedo, who was standing a few paces behind him. The succubus's face bore an eager and excited smile as she looked back at him, her wings fluttering with anticipation.

He swept his gaze across the crowd in front of him. He could see Pandora's Actor, currently in the visage of Momon the Adventurer, standing in a clearing within the group of adventurers, with Narberal by his side. It seemed that few were bold enough to stand too close to the "Beautiful Princess", who currently wore her usual ice-cold expression. However, a rare sparkle of expectancy shone within her eyes as she stared up at Ainz.

Feeling his creator's gaze upon him, Pandora's Actor raised his gauntlet slightly to give a victory

V-sign. Ainz gave an inward sigh of relief when nobody else seemed to notice the gesture.

 _Maybe I should have let him play the role of the Sorcerer King. Wait, no, that would be a potential disaster. I'm on my own this time._

Ainz tried his best to recall the guidelines he'd read in one of his books, titled " _Bosstips: A Guide To Presentation."_

 _Act natural._

The Overlord tried his best not to show how stiff and awkward he felt. He moved in the graceful manner that had been drilled into him from hours of practice in his bedroom.

 _Use eye contact and hand motions to draw the audience in and keep them engaged._

 _…._

Ainz tried to focus his gaze on one of the members of the audience. His eyes rested on a petite blond adventurer near the front of the crowd who was looking up at him attentively.

The moment their eyes met, the girl yelped and stumbled backwards as if struck. She lowered her head, unwilling to meet his eyes any further, and seemed to begin trembling. The boy standing beside her tried to steady her, clearly concerned.

 _Okay, that didn't quite work out…._

 _Dammit, I've wasted too much time. Whatever, I'm just going to start._

"Nations are brittle. They erode with time, or are razed by the fires of conflict. Their rulers are often small, vulnerable individuals, clasping on to the reins of power, oblivious to all around them."

Ainz paused for dramatic effect, he remembered from the book that it was important to give the audience a little time to take every statement in before moving on.

"It seems that in this world, even gods are destined to fall. Heroes are fated to be forgotten alongside the evil that beckons them. Yet, despite all of this, a single truth remains."

" _The goal of all life is death_."

As he said this, there were several gasps from the crowd. One female adventurer in particular, who seemed to be dressed in a witch's outfit, widened her eyes in a mixture of awe and fear.

 _Huehue, I've always wanted to say that out loud. Tabula used to make fun of me when I said things like that while roleplaying._ Ainz merrily thought to himself. _Well, now I'm actually an Overlord._

He waited a bit before continuing.

"It is this unescapable reality that dooms even the mightiest of beings. It is this fear that unites all men, demi-humans and heteromorphs alike. To prevail against this reality is impossible, yet the struggle against death is what defines the strong."

"Many may believe that it is in the nature of the undead to hate the living. Perhaps you may assume that we are abominations, abandoned by the breath of life, doomed to walk the earth bearing the taint of death. However, that cannot be further from the truth."

"I tell you this: _Death_ is not absolute."

" _I_ am absolute."

 _There, I said it. This is what Demiurge wanted, right? …..Did I just hear Albedo squeal?_

"A world without war, without crime, without poverty or hunger, without famine or disease. To most humans, this is a fool's dream, a fantasy of the naivest of rulers, doomed to failure."

"And yet, I have already achieved this. Within my domain lies such a sanctuary, a world beyond mortal comprehension. My very undying existence defies the reality you have always known. As such, I wield the power to make this impossible dream a reality."

"I have no interest in wealth or glory. I have no time for self-righteousness or hypocritical notions of justice. I have transcended the petty squabbles and prejudices between the mortal races."

"I once had companions who dreamed alongside me. Magnificent individuals who shared with me a goal- _beyond death_ "

"They are gone now. But our dream persists. I shall make that dream a reality. I believe that the first key to unlocking my aspirations lies within the realm of adventurers. Lend me your strength, and I will ensure that your skills may go beyond anything you've ever dreamed. Adventurers are more than mercenaries who hunt monsters for a living. They are the vanguard of civilization, the explorers of darkness."

"The event that will take place over the next few days will be a taste of what I can offer to this world. The Nazarick Hotel houses luxuries the likes you've never seen. The Master Dungeon will test your very worth as an adventurer both individually and as a team. I ask only that you see for yourself the greatness that lies in wait for the adventurers guild of the Sorcerer Kingdom."

"With this, I commence the official opening of the Nazarick Hotel!"

* * *

Cerabrate was well aware how everyone thought of him. He had never wanted to form Crystal Tear in the first place. The swordsman recalled how that Saphira had looked at him when he first met the two aspiring members of "Crystal Tear". He had rejected the idea of forming a team with them straight away. If not for that man's persuasion, Cerabrate wasn't sure where he'd be right now.

 _It sure as hell wouldn't be this place._

Cerabrate was half sure that Draudillon Oriculus had sent him to the Sorcerer Kingdom hoping he'd be killed or get captured and slowly tortured to death. He knew exactly how the dragon queen thought of him.

 _It's okay._ He reassured himself. _I'll have my way with that little queen eventually._

 _Even if I don't….this trip was definitely worth it._

Many people assumed that Cerabrate only stuck around the Draconic Kingdom because he had an obsession with Draudillon Oriculus _._ However, that was only half true. Cerabrate may be a pedophile, but he was no idiot. As cute as that little dragon queen was, the "Fierce Flash" would never risk his neck time after time for someone who hated his balls.

The truth was, Cerabrate did in fact care about the well-being of the Dragon Kingdom. While he wasn't exactly a selfless individual, he could never truly bring himself to leave the place where he'd spent most of his life.

No matter how many lives he saved, or how many times he risked his life, Cerabrate knew that the words of gratitude he received would always contain an underlying hint of disgust.

Back then, it bothered Cerabrate. As a matter of fact, _it bothered him a lot._ His only remedy was to take it out on the next poor girl he dragged into his room.

But now, everything was different.

For the first time in his life, Cerabrate was completely and utterly in love _._

 _It was love at first sight._

When all the other adventurers had been listening intently to the Sorcerer King's speech, Cerabrate could not take his eyes off of the platinum-haired girl that had been standing attentively among the undead being's attendants.

Initially, she wasn't the only servant of the King that had attracted his attention. The dark elf twin girls beside her looked absolutely gorgeous as well. However, after catching a closer glimpse of the pale girl's crimson eyes, Cerabrate knew that she was the one.

Cerabrate could swear that those ruby red irises stared right back at him, almost boring into him, but he knew that it wasn't physically possible, considering the fact that he was standing right in the middle of a large crowd quite a considerable distance away. Still, they made Cerabrate's heart pound harder than he'd ever had in battle _or_ in bed.

Cerabrate had never felt this way before. The image of the girl was seared into his mind. The silver hair and pearl white skin shone with an otherworldly gleam. He trembled with excitement as he recalled the blood red glint within her eyes, more captivating than the finest ruby.

 _I have to find a way to make contact._

The main issue, he thought, was that the girl seemed to be a member of the Sorcerer King's inner circle. As drunk in love as he was, Cerabrate knew better than to do anything as stupid as following her to profess his feelings for her. He needed to come up with a practical course of action. Regardless of the complications, Cerabrate knew there was no way he'd be leaving the Sorcerer Kingdom without that girl.

However, one unspoken, aching doubt lingered within the corner of his mind. There was something off about the girl as she stood there, gazing back into the crowd, almost as if looking right back at him. The smile on her face that Cerabrate could not bring himself to forget contained a hint of something more than just beauty. It was….inhuman.

* * *

Remedios bit her lip in contempt as she witnessed the adventurers around her erupt into thunderous applause. The paladin could not bring herself to join them, even for the sake of acting.

 _They're all just applauding out of fear, there is no way anyone would believe anything this monster has to say. Everyone must be afraid that the undead would massacre everyone on the spot if they did not cheer at his words._

Remedios had absolutely no doubt that what she believed was the truth. It was absurd to even entertain the idea that people would support an undead ruler.

However, the paladin knew that at least one person in the crowd was cheering with genuine admiration for the Sorcerer King. Remedios put every fiber of her body into resisting the urge not to bash in the skull of the short haired girl next to her.

Remedios had initially been sent alone as a representative of the Holy Kingdom to participate in the event. The holy king and nobles had told her that her skills made her the only viable candidate for the venture. Their attitude made it almost seem as if they had wanted an excuse to get rid of her. However, Remedios knew that they would never do such a thing in face of a common enemy-the undead.

A change of plans occurs when Remedios had mentioned in passing to Gustav that she would be attempting to assassinate the Sorcerer King, even if it meant dying in the process. The day after her exchange with Gustav, Remedios was informed that Neia Baraja would be coming along with her.

 _Damn Gustav, he must be too worried to let me risk my life. He wants this brat to get in my way so I don't die trying to save the world. Why can't he just see the bigger picture?_

As she thought of this, Remedios suddenly grew even more irritable. She shot a look of disgust at the girl next to her, who was still ogling at the Sorcerer King with an expression of awe on her face.

"Hey, you know he's lying right?"

As usual, Neia ignored her. It was the same approach the former squire of the Sorcerer King had taken for the past few days of travel. Neia always pretended not to hear the paladin whenever spoken to. Those large menacing eyes of hers refused to meet Remedios's gaze. Naturally, this annoyed Remedios a great deal.

"Don't say I didn't warn you. That monster will show his true colors soon enough, and I'll be there to defeat him."

After hearing those words, Neia Baraja finally could not help but snort incredulously.

 _Tsk, you can't even beat CZ-senpai._

Neia gleefully recalled what had happened just a week before she had left the Holy Kingdom.

CZ had come to visit for a few days, and one afternoon, while the demon maid was watching Neia rehearse in preparation for one of her famous speeches, Remedios happened to come across them.

The former leader of the Paladin Order had been in a terrible emotional state for months. She was cranky, prone to throwing tantrums, and in general, a source of headache for everyone who had to deal with her.

At the sight of CZ, Remedios's eyes flared with anger, and the paladin had the audacity to demand a duel with a servant of His Majesty himself.

CZ was initially reluctant to respond, stating that she had not received any orders from her master to fight. However, when Remedios charged at her anyway, the demon maid immediately went into combat mode.

Neia would have been lying if she said that she hadn't been looking forward to seeing a fight between two of the strongest individuals within the Holy Kingdom for quite some time. Naturally, she did nothing to stop them. It wasn't as if she had the ability to do so anyway.

[Flow Acceleration]

Remedios could feel the tendons within her body exploding with augmented power, and the entire world seemed to slow down as the nerves within her brain accelerated into a superhuman state.

[Strong Strike]

The paladin's sword arm whipped out at an astonishing speed, the weapon moving in a rapid blur towards CZ's throat.

Sensing that her opponent was attacking with the intent to kill, CZ's eyes immediately narrowed to assess her target, her combat mechanisms adapting to counter Remedios' movements. The automaton shifted her upper body only slightly, just enough so that the paladin's sword strike missed by a fraction of an inch. As Remedios struggled to launch another strike after missing, CZ Delta counterattacked.

CZ drew her gun and struck Remedios in the gut with the weapon, causing the paladin to stumble backwards, grunting in pain. Without room for pause, the automaton leapt backward, simultaneously loading her rifle and then firing four separate rounds straight at Remedios's face, stomach, arms and legs. The automaton completed the entire sequence of actions in a single flawless movement, too fast for her opponent to register and respond.

Remedios' battle senses kicked in, and her [Flow Acceleration] boosted her reaction time just fast enough for her to block two of the bullets with her sword. She managed to reposition just enough so that the shot to her stomach connected with plate armor instead of her vitals. The paladin felt a sharp pain in her ribs as the bullet embedded itself into the armor, but did not penetrate. Remedios barely managed to move her leg so that the fourth shot slid past her upper thigh, opening up a gash that began bleeding heavily.

 _So fast… I didn't even have time to use Fortress._

Remedios gritted her teeth, trying her best to ignore the intense pain in her leg and ribs as she looked back up at her opponent.

However, by that time, CZ had disappeared.

Looking around, the demon maid was nowhere to be seen. Remedios bit her lip in frustration.

 _Did she run?_

Just as Remedios began turning to Neia for an explanation, a shimmer appeared right behind the paladin.

[Fortress]

Remedios' superhuman reflexes saved her just in time before CZ uncloaked herself and delivered a point blank shot straight into the paladin's spine. The martial art was enough to prevent the shot from killing Remedios, but the paladin could still feel her bones fracturing as she fell to the ground.

 _I'm not done yet…._

Using every last ounce of her strength, Remedios turned around to unleash her strongest attack at CZ just before hitting the ground.

The paladin's holy sword, Safarlisia, glowed with an otherworldly golden light. The weapon became encased within a divine aura that burnt away all evil it touched. In Remedios' hands, it was the strongest attack of the Holy Kingdom's Paladin Order.

[Holy Strike]

CZ became engulfed within a ray of golden light, Remedios smiled as she felt the satisfaction of finally vanquishing a great evil.

Well, at least she did for half a second.

CZ stood in the same spot, completely unharmed, as she watched Remedios with the same indifferent expression.

"Uwah.. GG."

She raised her gun and pointed it at the paladin's temple.

"PLEASE, WAIT!"

Gustav Montagnés sprinted over, his voiced filled with panic.

"I sincerely apologize for the actions of our former leader. Please spare her life! I beg of you!"

CZ looked at Gustav and tilted her head, as if considering something.

"Threat nullified, target no longer needs extermination. Ainz-sama says to avoid trouble. Neia, let us go somewhere else. I have chocolate milk for you."

As she remembered CZ's carefree attitude after crushing Remedios in battle, Neia could not help but scoff at the paladin's absurd claims.

 _I can't believe I once looked up to this idiot._


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10: The Event Begins

 _Not gonna lie, I had a lot of fun writing last chapter. That was the first real fight scene I've ever created, but it was the speech that was particularly challenging for me. I tried to make it more serious at first, but then I thought that it may be a bit cringey if I did that, so I added some humor to it. Please continue writing reviews, they are part of what keeps me motivated! Honestly, I've been procrastinating a lot on my real-life work so that I can work on this story. But I'm having fun so who cares, right?_

 _Also, I'm not sure whether or not I should give Cerabrate some more depth and character development. I've heard people say that he should just be torn down for being a pedophile, and some wanting him to be a little more complex. I sort of want to make him a little more than just a horrible human being, but at the same time that might be controversial considering he's basically a child rapist. Why don't you guys comment/message me and tell me which you'd prefer?_

 _One last thing before we continue on. I'm considering writing another arc after this where Ainz goes to the Baharuth Empire to visit the Mage Academy. Should I keep it in this story or publish a new one? I'm hoping for some feedback from the readers themselves. Well, enough of my talking, please enjoy!_

 _PS: Shout out to Doommajor for taking the time to actually reach out to me! Honestly, he's the reason I decided to get back to this story sooner than I thought I would. If you're reading this, thanks man._

* * *

"As expected of Ainz-sama! It seems that your prediction has proven to be true! The trap has been successfully sprung!"

Shalltear's pale face flushed with excitement as she reported to her master. The true vampire's gaze was filled with longing and admiration as she looked at Ainz, but at the same time, her eyes carried a hint of raging bloodlust.

 _Finally, vengeance will be mine._ Shalltear's lips curled into a cruel smile, revealing the tips of her razor-sharp fangs.

Having heard Shalltear's report, Ainz could not help but feel surprised.

 _Wow, it actually worked…._

Under normal circumstances, the vampire would be kept away from public eyes or disguised with a mask in order to prevent her from being recognized as the rampaging vampire by the ones who had brainwashed her.

During the commencement ceremony, however, the Overlord had intentionally allowed Shalltear to stand out in the open while he was giving his speech. He had instructed the floor guardian to use her vampire senses to keep track of the reactions of everyone in the crowd. The goal, of course, was to see if there was anyone within the crowd that displayed any particularly intense emotion at the sight of Shalltear.

Ainz had suspicions that the group behind Shalltear's brainwashing would attempt to infiltrate this event as well. If what Shalltear said was true, it seems that he had been right.

"I sensed a man staring at me the entire time. He seemed completely stunned to see me there. I think he may be the key to finding out who was behind my….failure."

At the last word, Shalltear lowered her head in shame.

Ainz immediately felt a pang of anger as he remembered how he had been forced to kill his beloved subordinate due to the actions of an unknown group.

"Shalltear, rest assured that we will do everything within our power to find those who dare to insult Nazarick. Go and provide Demiurge with an in-depth description of the man, I'm sure he'll be able to find the best way to approach the situation."

Her head still lowered, Shalltear began shaking, as if suddenly seized by a torrent of emotion after hearing her master's words. She suddenly looked up at Ainz, her mouth open, as if hesitating as to whether or not to say something.

"Shalltear, is something the matter?"

"A-Ainz S-sama….I was actually wondering if…..y-you could let me personally carry out this mission…"

Ainz kept silent. Although she'd been improving since their trip to the Dwarven Kingdom, Shalltear definitely wasn't the most subtle of individuals. More importantly, her emotional stake in this venture made her prone to making rash decisions, especially with her "Blood Frenzy" trait.

"I-I'm sorry my lord, I-I know it's probably too much to ask…. Please forgive this one for speaking out of turn."

Shalltear lowered her head again. This time, Ainz saw teardrops falling to the ground.

 _She still hasn't completely moved on from that incident yet…._

Ainz felt a wave of sadness wash over him as he watched his friend's creation hold back tears of shame.

 _Peroroncino would be heartbroken to see her like this…_

 _Maybe letting her handle this will be the best way for her to forgive herself. I have to show that I have confidence in her abilities._

Ainz made up his mind.

"Shalltear, I hereby entrust this operation to you. Seek out this individual, but do _not_ make any hasty decisions. You are to observe carefully from a distance and minimize contact until you feel that it is absolutely safe to do so. If you run into any difficulties or are unsure as to how to proceed, you are to immediately report to Albedo, Demiurge of myself. Is that clear?"

The vampire's face immediately lit up as she heard Ainz's decision. She hastily wiped away her tears before looking up at Ainz, her eyes full of reverence.

"Yes, Ainz-sama! I will not fail you this time! I can't begin to express this one's gratitude, you truly are the greatest of the Supreme Beings!"

"Hmmm….just for future reference, did you find out what the name of that man was?"

Shalltear nodded, a serious expression on her face.

'Yes, my lord. His name is Cerabrate, also known as the "Fierce Flash". He is the leader of the Adamantite Team "Crystal Tear".'

 _Well…_ Ainz thought _This just got a lot more complicated._

 _I think it's time for me to play "Momon the Adventurer" again._

* * *

 _Nazarick Hotel, Grand Hall_

"Wow, this place is….!"

As a former noblewoman and as an Adamantite-ranked adventurer, Lakyus had been to her fair share of luxurious places.

The Valencia Palace of the Re-Estize Kingdom, where her friend Princess Renner lived, was a place she frequented almost every week.

She had once been to the Baharuth Empire's capital of Arwintar, where she visited the Imperial Palace and the Temple of the Four Great Gods, both of which were breathtaking edifices.

While she had never been inside the floating fortress of Eryuentiu, she had once stood outside and beheld the magnificent home of the Platinum Dragon Lord, a legacy of the Eight Greed Kings that almost destroyed the entire world. That was one of the most memorable moments of her life.

This was another one of those moments.

In the center of the massive hall was a gigantic flag bearing the crest of Ainz Ooal Gown. Well, to call it flag may be…an over-simplification. The fabric was not mere cloth, but an almost ethereal golden tapestry that was literally wreathed in crimson flames. Emblazoned in the center, the intricate insignia of the Sorcerer King glowed in an otherworldly light. The "flag" was not hung on any pole, but levitated above the ground for all to see.

The walls of the hall were lined with magnificent statuettes. That itself was not uncommon, as many palaces and temples Lakyus had visited were often filled with impressive marble statuettes as well. However, the ones in the Nazarick Hotel were made from materials even Lakyus, an Adamantite Adventurer, had never seen before. Most amazing of all was the fact that the statuettes felt _alive._ Lakyus had seen golems before around E-Rantel after it was taken by the Sorcerer King, but the ones currently before her were of a completely different caliber. They shone with an otherworldly majesty, their eyes glowing with sentient light.

Lakyus suddenly realized why there were none of the monsters she had seen in the streets of E-Rantel inside the hotel. The statuettes came in many different forms: griffins, dragons, lions, serpents, and Lakyus had a feeling that _they_ would be the ones to annihilate any intruder who dared to bring trouble into these halls.

Speaking of guards, Lakyus had initially been expecting to see plenty of undead servants within the hotel, much like in E-Rantel. However, since entering the building, the only staff members she could see were a gaggle of strange masked men dressed as butlers, as well as a group of very cute looking girls dressed as maids who went around offering refreshments. A few moments earlier, she could swear that she saw the masked butlers following what looked like a small, plump bird of black and white.

"Wow, this is quite a place, isn't it? We should go check out our room."

Seeing her friend's awestruck expression, Gagaran patted her friend, snapping the blonde leader of "Blue Rose" out of her trance.

"Ah, right, our rooms! Aren't we supposed to go to the front desk or something? How are they going to service so many people?"

Lakyus looked over to a spot where many adventurers had gathered. The area was filled with rows and rows of what looked like….mirrors? The adventurers seemed to be interacting with the glass by touching it. Lakyus saw that many of them had awe-struck expressions on their face, as if they could barely believe what they themselves were doing.

"What's going on over there?"

Evileye was the only one who could come up with an answer. Her voice was filled with utter shock.

"It seems that the hotel has set up some sort of magical service network by combining elements drawn from scrying and communication magic. I think the mirrors over there are portals that allow guests to access the system for information regarding their stay. But….to actually create a system of magic so complex, and to combine different groups of magic and incorporate them into physical objects in place of technology for use by normal people….that's…..I didn't think it was possible for…anyone…"

"Excuse me, do you ladies happen to be the Adamantite Adventurer team, 'Blue Rose'?"

A calm female voice from behind them interrupted their thoughts. Addressing them was a stunning woman dressed in a maid's outfit. A pair of stern, but not unfriendly eyes stared at them from behind a pair of elegant looking glasses.

"Yes, that would be us."

"Ah, my name is Yuri Alpha. I have been ordered to personally escort you to your room. Please come this way."

Yuri gestured for them to follow before walking in the direction of the stairs. As she did so, the Blue Roses could see that there was already someone else behind Yuri. A nervous looking woman with red hair and striking green eyes nodded at them in greeting.

'I'm Saphira from "Crystal Tear", nice to meet you all.'

The Blue Roses responded with their own greetings, and the six women began following the maid up the stairs.

* * *

"Everything so far has been a success, my lord. There have been no complications so far regarding the operation of the hotel."

Ainz felt relieved as he heard Albedo's message.

 _Thank god. It took me a ton of time to create those mirrors._

"Excellent, continue to make sure everything goes smoothly. Remember to inform Pandora's Actor of his role tomorrow during the start of the Master Dungeon event."

"Yes, Ainz-sama!"

Ainz put a finger to his black helmet, cutting off the message spell. He took a deep breath, or at least he tried to despite not having any lungs, before opening the double doors to the male Adamantite suite.

Two men were already inside. A dark hooded figure was strolling around, surveying the enormous room, while a gruff looking man in simple brown clothes lay sprawled atop a large couch, seemingly deep in thought.

The two of them turned to look at him the moment he entered the room.

"Ah, if it isn't Momon from Darkness. We've heard a lot about you."

Cowl turned and walked towards Ainz, stretching out his regular hand to shake.

Cerabrate heaved a reluctant sigh, before standing up as well to approach the newcomer.

Ainz shook both of their hands, taking a detailed look at both individuals as he did so. A particular thing immediately caught his attention.

'It is a pleasure to be of acquaintance to my fellow Adamantite adventurers. May I ask your names?"

"Ah, how rude of me! I am known as Cowl. Pleased to meet you."

"I'm Cerabrate."

 _So this is him….I wonder if the Draconic Kingdom has anything to do with Shalltear's brainwashing. I hear they have access to Wild Magic._

However, there was something else that intrigued Ainz. He tried not to stare at the crystal hook on Cowl's other hand.

 _The Claw of Houdini?! Where did he get that?_

The "Claw of Houdini" was a trial or "newbie" item given to new players that had bought the "Deluxe Version" of the game. By equipping it, the player would be immune from drawing aggro or "threat" from monsters, and an interface would pop up that notified the player of the most optimal positioning and ability usage, as well as monster weaknesses. However, the item was really only useful for the earliest stages of the game for several reasons.

First, the strategic notifications given to the player were not some complex program designed to create the best tactical approach possible to defeat an encounter. It was just a basic beginner's tool to learn the fundamentals of gameplay and PvE mechanics.

Second, despite having the item equipped, any attacks the player made to a monster would immediately toggle the aggro-immunity off, and leave the player open to attack. Therefore, it had very limited usages in solo play.

Third, the Claw of Houdini actually took up the equipment slot for the off-hand weapon, meaning that having the Claw equipped meant that you could not use a shield, dual wield weapons or two-handed weapons.

Supposedly, the Claw was meant to be a tool for beginner players to learn a bit more about how to fight in the game without immediately putting themselves in danger. However, the Claw was quite popular within the game beyond that as many higher-level players liked how it looked, and many people used the data crystal of the Claw of Houdini to replace the appearance of their off-hand equipment.

 _Did this guy actually cut hit hand off to equip this thing? Ouch._

In Yggdrassil, in order to use things like bladed hands, arm cannons, metal legs etc., all one needed to do was select the item and put it in the appropriate equipment slot.

In the New World, it seems that actual surgical implants were necessary to do the same.

 _Poor guy. Wait…if Cowl is also from the Draconic Kingdom, does that mean that that place has items from Yggdrassil? Like the world item that mind-controlled Shalltear…_

Ainz's suspicions deepened.

"Is it just the three of us then? It's quite a low number compared to the girls…."

Cerabrate's abrupt question interrupted Ainz's thoughts.

'Hmm..I believe that "Red Drop" will be arriving some time tomorrow. I've heard that most of their members are male."

"Oh, alright. Well, then, I'm going to go check out this hotel. I hear they have a good bar. Cowl, you coming?"

"You know I don't drink…"

Cerabrate shrugged. "Suit yourself."

With that, the "Fierce Flash" strode out of the room, leaving Ainz alone with Cowl.

"So…Momon-san, could you tell me about some of your exploits? I'm especially curious as to what you think of the Sorcerer King."

* * *

Narberal Gamma did not know why she had to stay here. All she knew was that Lord Ainz had ordered it, and his word was absolute. It was not her place to even slightly question his plans, and any personal discomfort or doubt was overruled by the sheer honor of carrying out the Supreme Being's wishes.

Even so, Narberal found it difficult to understand why her lord had gone to such measures to entertain a swarm of pests. Her feelings of distaste only intensified when one of the weaklings that had just entered the room approached her and began making typical human noises.

'My name is Saphira Irithyll from Crystal Tear, you must be Nabe from Darkness. It's hard to find high tier magic casters like us, so it's a real pleasure to meet you!"

Behind her, Evileye gave an amused chuckle, before being elbowed by Lakyus, who was shaking her head. Saphira looked at them momentarily in confusion before turning back to Nabe.

Narberal did not bother paying attention to Saphira's words, but her eyes twitched as she heard the words "high tier magic caster" and "us".

However, the battle maid recalled the instructions of her master. Looking at the red-haired human's outstretched hand, she tried hard to remember the lessons Lady Albedo had given her regarding interaction with lower life forms.

"Narberal Gamma, it is important to understand that Lord Ainz's magnanimity extends to even the most unworthy of creatures. Therefore, in order to satisfy our lord's expectations to the fullest, it is necessary to learn how to humour the petty humans who would bathe in the glory of Ainz-sama."

"Humans are weak-willed and easily swayed. A simple smile and touch from myself is more than sufficient and works just as well as any mind-control spell or Demiurge's [Command Mantra]."

'Know that when they extend their hand, they wish to make their worth known to you and to be acknowledged. Under normal circumstances, a simple decapitation would suffice to let them know their place. However, Lord Ainz has asked me to instruct you to do the opposite. In that case, you must perform what is known as a "handshake".'

Suppressing the repulse building inside her, Narberal extended her hand and gave Saphira a handshake.

"You will get used to it in time. Remember, Ainz Ooal Gown can be as beautiful as it is deadly to those who defy the Supreme Beings. I believe Lord Nishikienrai would want his creation to learn the same."

Remembering those words, Narberal even gave a practiced smile.

At the other side of the room, Evileye began choking. Even Lakyus was too shocked to reprimand her.

Gagaran cleared her throat, before making a suggestion.

"How about we all go to the sparring area before dinner? I hear they have some nice challenges there to warm us up for tomorrow. If it's half as spectacular as all the other parts of the hotel we've seen so far, it'll definitely be worth it."

The rest of the Blue Roses voiced their agreement, as did Saphira.

Narberal reluctantly nodded her head.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11: Night at the Nazarick Hotel (Part 1)

 _Nazarick Hotel 2_ _nd_ _Floor, Bar_

After having seen all the otherworldly sights within the Sorcerer Kingdom during the past two days, Cerabrate did not feel particularly surprised to see that the hotel's bar was managed by man with a head that literally resembled a rare breed of mushroom.

"So, what kind of drink does an establishment like this offer?"

The Adamantite Adventurer leaned against the counter, addressing the bizarre looking bartender in a casual tone.

Sous-chef took a quick glance at Cerabrate's adventurer tag before replying:

"The first glass of our one of a kind drink, the Nazarick Special, is free for all those participating in the upcoming event. Of course, any subsequent servings will be charged."

"Well, I'll give it a shot then."

 _Huh, why would an undead being invest in creating refreshments? I should probably ask to make sure this "Nazarick Special" doesn't contain anything…questionable._

Just as Cerabrate was about to direct his skepticism at the bartender, a newcomer sat down at the bar, several seats away from him.

Cerabrate's heart threatened to leap out of his chest.

 _I didn't even hear her come in…_

Shalltear Bloodfallen pretended not to see the wide-eyed leader of "Crystal Tear' as she calmly ordered a glass of her usual "Blood Cocktail".

"Sir, is something the matter?"

Sous-chef's words snapped Cerabrate out of his trance as he placed the drink in front of the adventurer.

"Oh, it's nothing. Thanks."

Cerabrate struggled to keep his pounding heart under control as he took a small sip of the beverage.

Interestingly enough, a sudden cool, comfortable sensation washed over him as he did so, relaxing his nerves just enough for him to get a hold of his senses.

 _Wow, this drink is really something…_

Cerabrate closed his eyes to recollect his thoughts, before sliding a nervous glance at the girl next to him, who, unbeknownst to him, was having a similar moment of dilemma.

 _Minimize contact…..minimize contact….Is this safe enough? It should be, we're right in the middle of a Nazarick stronghold. Should I try to engage him and use "Mystic Eyes of Charms"? No, Ainz-sama said to be subtle, and Demiurge warned that he'd have counter measures for mind control. Maybe I should just talk to him and wait for him to let something slip…"_

"Psst! Sous-chef!"

Shalltear decided to direct her troubles to the nearest ally she could find.

"Hmm? What is it, Shalltear-san?"

"I need some advice, arinsu~…"

Sous-chef shook his mushroom head

"With all due respect, I don't think I'll be of much assistance in any matter outside of the art of bartending, my lady. Perhaps you should send a message to the Guardian Overseer?"

"Pfft! Albedo would sneer at me for needing her help!"

"Well, it seems that that gentleman is coming over to you. Perhaps your issue can wait?"

 _Gah, he_ _ **is**_ _the issue…I can't believe he's approaching me first. Wait, does he know about my Mystic Eyes? Why is he avoiding eye contact?_

Cerabrate plopped down in the seat next to Shalltear, nervously trying to avoid meeting the vampire's mesmerizing red gaze.

Despite his confidence in his fighting ability, Cerabrate had never truly developed any skills in the department of flirting. Well, he hadn't ever really needed to, considering that the only girls he targeted were those that he could easily take by force. Their families usually turned a blind eye, unwilling to antagonize the Draconic Kingdom's strongest weapon against the beastmen. The ones that did bother protesting almost always backed away when Cerabrate drew his sword.

Those that didn't…well…Cerabrate usually just decided that it wasn't worth the trouble. There were plenty little fishes in the sea.

This time, it was different. His target was the servant of a being that transcended death itself. Besides, this was the first time Cerabrate felt more than just lust. He was genuinely captivated by the silver-haired girl. He wanted to make the effort.

"S-so, what brings a gorgeous young maiden like you here? Feeling lonely?"

 _...What the hell?_

 _Shalltear had expected some subtle challenge, or a diplomatic message delivered with an underlying tone of threat. She had not expected some cheesy pick-up line that even Lord Peroroncino would probably find cringe-worthy._

"No, I just felt like having a drink. What business do you have with me, human?"

Shalltear decided to play it safe and act _normal_. She'd wait for the other person to make a mistake. It was a duel of words. Shalltear knew that this was an area Ainz-sama was an unrivaled master at. Right now, as she struggled to come up with what to say next, she was more impressed than ever at her master's incredible prowess.

 _What a tremendously difficult skill to master. Demiurge told me that Ainz-sama used simple words to defeat me before our battle even began. I never even stood a chance._

As she recalled her battle with Ainz and the events that lead up to it, Shalltear's gaze began hardening with rage and bloodlust.

Cerabrate too sensed that Shalltear's gaze was intensifying. The adventurer delightedly assumed that this was a sign that she was paying more attention to him. His confidence rose.

'My name is Cerabrate, I'm an Adamantite-ranked adventurer of "Crystal Tear." It would be an honor if you could tell me your name.'

 _Hmm...should I tell him my actual name? Well, as long as I don't mention Honyopenyoko it should it's fine._

"The name is Shalltear Bloodfallen. Do be careful as to how you utter that name. It is not to be besmirched by the likes of your mortal tongue. Is there a reason you are disturbing my time of solitude?"

Cerabrate had expected a less than warm response, but the vampire responded with a tone similar to what one would use to address a filthy stray puppy. The adventurer could not help but feel a bit insecure.

 _Well, at least now I know her name. Do all servants of the Sorcerer King act like this?_

"Is that drink of yours any good? I just tried the Nazarick Special, but I'm looking to spice things up a bit." Cerebrate tried to give a good-humored smile as he finished his sentence.

Shalltear glanced at her "Blood Cocktail". The red liquid within the ornate glass reflected no light. It was the only drink the bar offered that could truly sate her thirst.

"Hmmm…I don't think this taste is suitable for everyone, especially for humans."

Once again, Cerabrate could not help but sense the tone of condescension applied to that last word. Somehow, it turned him on even more.

"Oh come on, you underestimate me. Bartender? May I order a glass of what this lady is having?"

Sous-chef took a long look at the two people seated in front of him. The expression on his fungus face was unreadable as he glanced at the glass of red liquid Cerabrate was pointing at.

"I'm afraid we're all out of stock on that one. My apologies."

Just as both Cerabrate and Shalltear were racking their brains thinking of what to say next, a pair of female voices came from behind them, interrupting their thoughts.

"Uwaah. Ainz-sama's new bar. Drinks. Juice for CZ. Chocolate milk for Neia."

"Um, CZ-senpai, I'm not sure if I should leave Remedios alone for too long. I don't think she knows where our room is, and I don't want her to cause trouble."

CZ moved her hand in what looked like a dismissive wave. "Big sister Yuri will take care of it. Neia, sit."

The two newcomers sat down. After Sous-chef brought them their drinks, CZ turned to Shalltear and introduced her friend.

"Shalltear, Neia. Neia, Shalltear."

Neia gave the vampire an awkward wave, while Shalltear merely gave a nod of acknowledgement in return before standing up.

 _It's probably best if I learn a bit more about how to obtain information safely through dialogue with humans before trying anything else. I can't disappoint Ainz-sama again._

"I'm going to go. I have a few things to ask Demiurge." Shalltear told CZ. The vampire slid a glance at Cerabrate before making her way out of the bar.

Cerabrate, surprised to see his crush leave so abruptly, sat there for several moments, confused, before rising from his chair to depart as well.

CZ waited until both of them had been gone for several minutes before speaking:

"Observation complete. Shalltear is having trouble with her mission. Will report to Ainz-sama."

"Wait, His Majesty put you up to this?"

CZ nodded her head.

"Ainz-sama does not want Shalltear to fail. But he also does not want Shalltear to know he is watching, so he told CZ to check her progress."

Once again, Neia felt a surge of admiration for the great Sorcerer King.

"I see…His Majesty really cares a lot about his servants."

"Of course. Ainz-sama is the nicest of the Supreme Beings. That is why he stayed behind."

* * *

Nabe, Saphira and the Blue Roses all currently stood underneath a massive semi-transparent dome that served as the ceiling of the Nazarick Hotel Training Grounds. The area was massive, easily rivaling the size of the Baharuth Empire's Grand Arena. However, what made the facility truly unique was the fact that it was underground.

Nazarick was no stranger to creating magnificent underground environments, and the training grounds were no exception. One could say that it was the most ambitious facility within the Nazarick Hotel. The dome of the facility was made of a luminescent glass-looking material that kept the training grounds perpetually lit, and a teleportation circle was crafted specifically for the purpose of transporting adventurers into the facility.

The entire area was lined with typical training equipment such as training dummies and archery butts. However, the "Sparring golems" and "Monster Summoning Stones" proved to be by far the most popular attractions.

The sparring golems were simple constructs animated to respond to attacks, making them a straightforward method of practice for adventurers seeking to refine their combat skills. Different golems of varying material quality and enchantment complexity allowed for a wide range of challenges for adventurers of different rank. If a golem received enough damage, it would cease fighting and return to its original position. A team comprised of mage workers recruited from the remnants of the E-Rantel Mage Association and Dwarven engineers from the Demi-human district went around handling any repairs that the golems needed.

The monster summoning stones worked just as their name implied. By interacting with a stone, adventurers could summon a monster to fight in order to hone their abilities. To prevent the encounter from getting out of control or disturbing other adventurers, the monsters had a limited range of activity, meaning that they could not go too far away from the point where they had been summoned. If the adventurers fled outside of the monster's range of activity, the encounter would reset and the monster would vanish back into the summoning stone. The monsters available ranged from goblins and ogres to war trolls and high-level beast men, allowing for quite a diverse training experience for adventurers of all ranks.

However, the greatest test of strength within the training grounds was the creature that lay curled within the center of the facility. Its icy-blue scales shone with a frigid aura. Huge wings lay folded at its sides, the occasional movement of them sending gusts of freezing cold wind permeating throughout the training grounds.

 _Frost Dragon._

Saphira could not believe her eyes. She was well aware that the Sorcerer King was immensely powerful, but after an entire life of believing in the absolute power of dragonkin, nothing could erase the shock of seeing a fully-grown dragon used as sparring practice.

Gagaran grimaced.

'I was expecting to see a Death Knight or something, but this is pretty dramatic even for the Sorcerer King. I guess he really didn't want there to be any ugly undead in this hotel."

"What's going on over there?"

Tina pointed at a large crowd of adventurers nearby. They had formed a ring, and seemed to be spectating several individuals who were currently locked in battle.

"Krusty?!"

Saphira gasped in surprise.

She immediately recognized dark haired scout of "Crystal Tear", who was currently to be fighting in the middle of the crowd of adventurers. The dark-haired ranger of "Crystal Tear" was too preoccupied with his opponent to notice the arrival of his ally. Saphira was taken aback once more as she caught a better glimpse of who Krusty was fighting.

 _Is that a lizardman?_

Krusty's opponent was built with a thick, muscular frame that was covered by a layer of glistening dark green scales. A reptilian tail lashed out occasionally, only narrowly avoided by Krusty, who was beginning to show signs of struggle.

Saphira couldn't blame him. The lizardman moved with a fluidity and expertise that belonged to the upper echelon of human warriors. The demi-human's proficiency at martial arts had reached a level that neither Blue Rose nor Crystal Tear had thought was possible for their race. Pair that with the physical advantages inherent within demi-human physiology, and the result was a foe that even Adamantite adventurers would struggle to prevail against.

There was a second lizardman standing within the circle of spectating adventurers. However, all the adventurers who challenged him were quickly struck down by a combination of raw demi-human strength and technical prowess. He continued to stand there, silently observing the fight between Krusty and his kinsman while waiting for the next challenger.

Tia suddenly made an unexpected announcement:

"I want to try fighting the one with the blue blade."

Lakyus looked at her teammate in surprise.

"By yourself?"

"Yeah, why not? I want to see if I've fully recovered from the resurrection yet. This will be a good test of strength."

With that, the assassin strode over to where the lizardman was standing.

"I am Tia of Blue Rose. I wish to challenge you to a sparring match."

The crowd of adventurers that had been watching the fight between Krusty and his opponent quickly grew excited. Everyone knew about the famous Blue Roses.

"I am Zaryusu Shasha, servant of the Sorcerer King and overseer of the Nazarick Hotel Training Grounds. I accept your challenge."

* * *

Narberal could not help but experience a rising sense of boredom, which made her feel immediately ashamed. The battle maid knew that any act to serve the Supreme Beings was an absolute honor. Narberal herself had never approved of her sister Lupusregina's constant complaints about the tedium of overseeing Carne Village. After all, it was not their place to be dissatisfied with anything that was ordered of them.

She did not mind acting as Nabe the adventurer. As a matter of fact, walking alongside and staying in the same lodging with the Supreme Being had been one of the greatest moments in her life.

Right now, Narberal wished that she could stay with Lord Ainz instead. She found it increasingly hard to bear watching the juvenile little brawl between the insects and lizards in front of her.

The lower life forms around her cheered as their fellow maggot darted around in circles, attempting to kite the lumbering reptile as it attempted to hit her with the pathetically weak blade of ice.

Occasionally, the maggot would use random mortal tricks like splitting into copies of itself, slipping into the shadows (which Narberal found pointless, as she could see it anyway), throwing the occasional needle or launching laughable fire blasts at the lizard. The lizard would respond by waving his flimsy weapon to create gales of cold wind that seemed to cause the lower life forms around her to shiver.

However, there was one particular detail that caught her attention. Whenever the maggot used one of her flimsy "techniques", her hands moved in a way that sparked memories of a distant past.

 _Isn't that….Lord Nishikienrai….._

Narberal could not remember how long ago it had been. It was a time when Nazarick was at its prime, and most of the Forty One Supreme Beings still walked the halls of the Great Tomb of Nazarick. Whenever Narberal wasn't stationed on the Tenth Floor beside her sisters, she would be attending to her creator in his suite.

Sometimes, when he thought none of the other Supreme Beings were around, Lord Nishikienrai would stare into the mirror, and perform hand movements that were very similar to what the maggot was currently doing.

Narberal remembered the smile on her creator's face as he practiced the movements fervently in front of the mirror. Back then, she could not help but think that it resembled the face of a child playing with a new toy.

 _How disrespectful!_ Narberal immediately shut off that line of thought. Clearly, it was her that could not comprehend Lord Nishikienrai's divine wisdom. Most likely, the movements contained the secrets to her creator's dark powers. Her creator must have simply been enthusiastic about reaching new heights of strength that went far beyond what Narberal could even grasp.

 _My lord…where have you gone?_

For the briefest of moments, Narberal's eyes began to glisten as she asked herself the question that would forever haunt her.

 _Why did you leave us?_

"Uh…Nabe, are you okay?"

Evileye, who was standing beside her, could not help but notice that the coldest woman she knew seemed to be having an emotional moment.

Narberal immediately snapped out of her memories. Her eyes retained the same condescending, ice cold expression she usually wore as she looked at the masked vampire.

"It is none of your concern."

With that, Narberal turned and walked out of the crowd of adventurers, making her way to an isolated spot within the training grounds.

Saphira expressed a look of concern.

"I'm going to check to see if she's okay."

Before the Blue Roses could stop her, the female adventurer of "Crystal Tear" began walking over to where Narberal had relocated.

Once both Saphira and Nabe were out of earshot, Gagaran looked at Evileye and asked the question she had been wondering for some time:

"Hey, Shorty, do you think you could beat Nabe in a duel?"

Evileye pondered the question for several seconds before answering:

"I'm not sure. Her magic is definitely powerful, but it's not quite within the realm of heroes. I am confident that I can handle her fourth-tier spells..."

She spoke her next words with a more guarded tone:

"However, I've learned that the "Beautiful Princess" is far more than just a simple magic caster. I've seen her shrug off blows that would probably faze even you. She survived against three of Jaldabaoth's demon maids when I struggled against two of them."

"Most importantly, she is Momon-san's chosen companion. I have a feeling that there are a lot more secrets we don't know hidden beneath that gorgeous face of hers. Even if I went all out, I'm not certain as to which of us would emerge victorious."

Gagaran nodded grimly. She understood just how devastating the masked vampire could be when her powers were fully unleashed. Gagaran knew that Evileye wasn't the kind to be humble when asked a direct question like this. She was glad that Nabe, as unapproachable as she was, could at least be counted upon as an ally of humanity.

Their exchange was abruptly interrupted as a loud cheer erupted from the crowd of adventurers watching the battle between Tia and Zaryusu.

Tia walked out of the ring, her entire body bruised and battered, looking completely exhausted. However, there was an exhilarated grin on her face as she returned to her friends.

"I won!"

* * *

Character Sheets:

Saphira

Job Classes:

Illusionist (5)

Arcane Magic Caster (10)

Elementalist [Ice] (7)

Total levels: 22

Karma: Positive 150 (Good)

Krusty

Job Classes:

Rogue (4)

Archer (7)

Ranger (6)

Duelist (4)

Total Levels: 21

Karma: Positive 150 (Good)

Cerabrate

Job Classes:

Knight (9)

Fighter (10)

Mercenary (5)

Beast Slayer (3)

Total Levels: 27

Karma: Positive 50 (Neutral)

* * *

Authors notes:

 _This chapter was definitely one of the hardest ones to right. I had to go back and completely change a lot of things because I wasn't satisfied with how it all meshed._

 _I actually wanted to showcase a detailed and descriptive fight between Tia and Zaryusu, but I also really wanted to give Narberal her own special moment. So what I decided to do was create a parallel between how impressive the lizardmen were to the human adventurers and juxtaposition it with Narberal's condescending perspective to really showcase the difference in the perception of strength between Nazarick and everybody else. Also, I'm not sure just how much more powerful Zaryusu would have become after several years training within Nazarick after recovering from a resurrection. My conclusion was that he'd be stronger than someone like Krusty, who lost to Zenberu, but slightly weaker than Tia, who is a more renowned Adamantite adventurer. Unfortunately, this meant that I couldn't make a satisfying fight scene in this chapter. But don't worry! I'll try to make up for that later._

 _As always, I encourage everyone to review. My story is constantly evolving and I get new inspiration every day, so I am open to ideas from readers as well as opinions on how to improve the story. I hope everyone finds continuous improvement between each successive chapter. I am really trying to learn as I continue to write so that the story gets better and better._


	12. Chapter 12

**Night at the Nazarick Hotel (Part 2)**

 _Female Adamantite Adventurer Suite, Nazarick Hotel_

"I'm sorry, but your story is more than a little hard to believe."

Lakyus found it very hard to keep a straight face as she listened to what the paladin in front of her had to say.

"I'm telling you, it's definitely the truth! Isn't it obvious?"

Remedios could not believe that the leader of the Blue Roses would be so hard to convince. She had been hoping that the supposedly "brave and noble" Adamantite adventurers would see that what she was telling the truth. Why were they all so blind?

Lakyus took a deep breath and tried not to let her next words sound too patronizing:

"Hmm…So let me rephrase what you've just told me, and please correct me if I get anything wrong…"

"Ainz Ooal Gown and Jaldabaoth are in cahoots, even though the death of the demon lord by the Sorcerer King's hands has been confirmed by thousands of eye witnesses. You believe that the entire event, which resulted in the loss of tens of thousands of innocent lives, including the Holy Queen herself, was all staged to set up the Holy Kingdom's submission to the Sorcerer Kingdom?"

"More importantly, you want our help to investigate whether the Dark Hero Momon is actually….(Lakyus quickly shot a look at Evileye to silence her)…ahem..the Sorcerer King in disguise this whole time. If he happens to be legitimate, you want to contact him and join forces to overthrow and destroy the Sorcerer King…"

"Am I missing anything?"

Remedios hesitated for a moment, before replying:

"I think _she_ has been brainwashed by that undead being."

Remedios pointed at Neia, who currently had her face buried in a cushion as if trying to block out the paladin's words.

Lakyus pursed her lips as she contemplated how to explain the situation to the clearly not so bright individual in front of her.

"Even _if,_ and that's a big _if,_ everything you've told us is true, how are we supposed to defeat the Sorcerer King even with Momon's help? Have you seen the _things_ around the E-Rantel? Did you take a look at the golems downstairs? It's impossible!"

Remedios was not convinced

"Didn't you tell me last time I was in E-Rantel that Momon single handedly defeated Jaldabaoth and drove him out of the kingdom? The Sorcerer King couldn't do that without almost being killed. Doesn't that prove that Momon would come out on top? If someone of his strength submitted to the Sorcerer King, doesn't that make you question where his loyalties really lie? Why did he let Jaldabaoth go in the first place?"

To Remedios, everything she just stated made perfect logical sense. Why wouldn't they believe her?

Evileye couldn't keep quiet any longer.

"Jaldabaoth would have razed the entire city to the ground if Momon-san forced him into a fight to the death. Momon-san is a true hero of humanity, I'm sure of it."

Neia wasn't putting up with any more of it either.

 _This idiot needs to know her place. His Majesty is absolute._

"No one stands a chance against His Majesty. The only reason he was forced to retreat from Jaladabaoth is because he had to waste mana to help you with your pointless antics. You need to stop it with your dumb conspiracies and just give it a rest already!"

"Shut up! You've clearly been brainwashed! You're not even one of his subjects!"

"No, I haven't! I _wish_ I was his subject if it means that I don't have to deal with self-righteous idiots like you anymore!"

The two former members of the paladin order glared daggers at each other. Gagaran reluctantly chose to intervene.

"Enough, you two. We honestly don't know all that much about Momon, Jaldabaoth or Ainz Ooal Gown, especially how powerful they really are respectively. I would like to say that I could give an assessment of that demon lord's ability, but…."

 _I didn't even see it coming…his spell killed me instantly…._

 _I died before I even hit the ground._

There was hardly anything that scared Gagaran nowadays. She had seen a lot of horrific things in her line of work. However, the image of Jaldabaoth's sinister-looking mask, and the sound of Evileye's frantic voice as she told her and Tia to run for their lives…those memories would forever haunt her. It was an unforgettable reminder that there were forces in the world beyond anything humanity could face.

"Well, at least we have one person who actually knows the Raven Black Hero."

Everyone in the room looked at the only other member of "Darkness", who had said nothing throughout the entire discussion. Nabe had simply sat without a word in a corner of the suite, seemingly uninterested in the increasingly heated conversation taking place around her.

Seeing that nobody else seemed willing to be the first to address the stone-cold member of "Darkness", Saphira decided to ask the question everyone was thinking:

"Nabe-chan, do you think Momon-san is powerful enough to face the Sorcerer King head on?"

Narberal's eyes twitched at the sound of the word "Nabe-chan". She slowly opened her mouth to speak, as if the very motion pained her.

"Momon-sa..n is the strongest."

Everyone in the room except Evileye widened their eyes in surprise at Nabe's confident tone as she delivered the statement. Neia delivered the next question, her voice filled with skepticism:

"So, are you saying that His Majesty is weaker than the Dark Hero?"

Nabe hesitated for a fraction of a second, before replying:

"No."

"But you just said that Momon is the strongest!"

"Yes, that is correct."

"…"

A moment of confused silence ensued. Saphira decided that it was probably best to change the subject.

"How about we talk about something else? It's extremely rare for adventurers of our caliber to be living in the same quarters like this. This is a good time to get to know each other!"

Evileye immediately jumped at this opportunity to blurt out the question she'd been wondering for quite some time now.

"Nabe, is it true that you used to sleep in the same room as Momon-san?!"

For the first time ever, the other women in the room saw Nabe's face take on a color other than snow-white.

"T-that is…n-none of your concern, you insufferable inchworm."

At the sight of Narberal's never before seen reaction, Evileye decided that she was not letting go that easily.

"Hah! I knew it! Does he take off his armor when he sleeps? What hobbies does he like? How did the two of you meet? Have you two ever slept in the same bed together? H-have you-"

"Have you ever heard him talk about me?"

Lakyus grabbed ahold of Evileye, who had been pouncing closer and closer to Nabe with every question she asked. Nabe looked ready to squash the petite vampire if she came any closer.

"Evileye! That's enough! Sorry about her behavior, Nabe-san."

With eyes full of disdain, Nabe looked down at Evileye, who was flailing to resist Lakyus's attempts to restrain her.

"I'm afraid Momon-san doesn't spend much time discussing vermin in his spare time."

Gagaran had to sprint over and help Lakyus to restrain Evileye, who had begun to spasm uncontrollably at Nabe's words. Suddenly, the masked vampire collapsed like a puppet whose strings had been cut.

"Shorty! Shorty! Are you okay? Wait, she's not breathing!" Gagaran exclaimed as she shook the now motionless Evileye.

"Um, I don't think that's out of the ordinary for her…." Lakyus reminded her friend.

Tina and Tia shook their heads in unison. The twins looked at each other, their thoughts identical.

 _We should have stuck with the other topic._

* * *

 _"_ _Eight Ripples" Suite, Nazarick Hotel 2_ _nd_ _Floor_

Selene Magala stood alone outside on the massive balcony of the suite. Lost in her thoughts, she could barely hear the excited voices of her team mates as they explored their enormous room.

To call Selene's past "troubled" would be a severe understatement. Her father had been a Zuranon defector who fled from the cult after a conflict of ideals with his superiors. After incurring severe injuries during his attempt to escape, he was found and nursed back to health by Selene's mother, who was at the time a priestess of the Temple of the Six Great Gods. The Church banished her mother for the deed, and the two of them forged a relationship, eventually giving birth to her.

Both of Selene's parents devoted little time to their daughter.

While her father had defected from Zuranon due to differences in certain ideologies, he had never abandoned the search for power through manipulating the forces of life and death. Her mother, influenced by her lover and full of resentment towards the church, began incorporating necromantic research into her holy spells.

When Selene began showing an aptitude for magic at a young age, her parents were quick to teach her the fruits of their research before sending her to the Baharuth Empire's magic academy. Deep down, they knew that their relatively peaceful lives would not last for long.

Sure enough, Zuranon tracked Selene's father down eventually and ruthlessly murdered him and his wife. Selene was only sixteen when she received news of her parents' death. The only legacy that remained of them was the tome that Selene had carried with her when she had been sent away. The book contained years of unholy research that Selene used to become one of the most promising and most feared students of the academy.

Selene was not interested in revenge. Her father had known what the consequences would be when he'd defected from Zuranon. No, her goal was to take her parents' research and become the most powerful magic caster in the world. She would reach the abyss of magic that the tome mentioned as the source of arcane power. She wished for nothing less than to unlock the secrets of death itself, to merge holy and unholy and create a new school of magic that was better than anything from Zuranon or the Temple.

Selene knew that the academy could not help her attain her dream. The institution was too tied down by rules and restrictions, too entrenched within politics and the influence of the Temple. When the academy had ruled against the use of undead in agricultural development due to objections by the clergy, Selene knew it was time to move on.

To achieve her goal, Selene would need access to new resources and better equipment. Magic was as expensive to develop as it was powerful to unleash. Therefore, she embarked upon path of an adventurer.

At first, she had worked as a lone freelancer, hopping from quest to quest and slowly rising from copper to gold rank by herself. However, after barely reaching platinum, she began to truly struggle. It was clear that an actual team was needed to progress any further.

That was when she met Irina Carim. The two girls were like oil and water. Selene resented the pious Irina, perceiving her as a slave to the hypocritical, self-righteous fools that condemned her mother for saving a life. Irina despised the very powers Selene devoted her life to improving, seeing them as a twisted mockery of everything she stood for. The two of them had almost tried to kill each other, only to be stopped by their soon to become leader.

 _Ah, how times change. We're basically best friends now._

Selene had come a long way since joining the team that would eventually rise to become one of the strongest adventuring teams in the Baharuth Empire.

Her magic grew in ways she had never even imagined. One time, she even managed to summon an imp, a feat that marked something as potentially revolutionary as it was dangerous. Selene knew better than to continue dabbling in the art of demonic rituals, but the prospect of wielding power that hearkened back to the demon gods themselves gave her a taste of the power she knew she might eventually wield.

However, in all her years of developing her parents' work, there was always one element that seemed missing. Something crucial continued to allude her, a component that Selene knew she needed in order to advance her magic to a new frontier. Her father's fundamental work lacked understanding of Zuranon's most powerful secret-the key to mastering the art of necromancy.

The key to all those doubts appeared in front of her that very morning. As she stood amongst thousands of adventurers to listen to the speech that many knew would come to define the very future of adventurers everywhere, Selene heard seven words that would forever be imprinted within her mind.

Unlike everything else that was spoken, those words contained something _more._ Selene knew that the Sorcerer King's seemingly random phrase contained the secret behind everything she had ever worked for.

 ** _The Goal of All Life is Death._**

 _I need to meet him in person….just once…_

* * *

Rak'shir had not felt true fear in a very long time. Now, however, the almost forgotten sensation of terror threatened to overwhelm him once more.

He glanced at the crystal hook that had long replaced his right hand. Rak'shir had never once regretted sacrificing his hand to wield the power of the artefact before him. With it, the man felt invincible, untouchable even by the strongest of beings. Now, the pulsing crystalline light that had always seemed like a beacon of hope to him seemed laughably dim in the face of his mounting dread.

Rak'shir was once a general serving under the Dragon Queen, Draudillon Oriculus. That all changed when he was one day given the task of leading a squad of men to find the Brightness Dragon Lord and inform him of the threat of the encroaching beastmen.

Rak'shir had little doubt that the mission was simply an excuse to enter the dragon lord's lair to see if there were any magic items that could aid in the war effort. The Brightness Dragon Lord had not been seen for over a millennium. Almost everyone agreed that the founder of the Draconic Kingdom had long departed his mountain lair and no longer resided in his own nation.

Sure enough, when Rak'shir and his team reached the Brightness Dragon Lord's fortress, they found no dragon.

Instead, they were greeted by abominations.

The Brightness Dragon Lord was notorious for being the only Dragon Lord who willingly bred with other species. Alongside the Goblin King, it was the only non-human being who managed to impregnate a human woman.

Clearly, that humans were not the only species it had tried to breed with.

Aberrations that only vaguely resembled dragonkin chased him and his men throughout the halls of the fortress. All of his companions died in the incident. If not for a tremendous stroke of luck, Rak'shir knew he would have had no chance of leaving that place alive.

He recalled the miracle that saved his life:

Rak-shir's hand throbbed with a dark purple color after being bitten by one of the creatures that had slaughtered the rest of his men. He could feel venom coursing through his veins, threatening to sap the last vestiges of strength out of him as he stumbled into a random room to hide.

Just as he thought he was about to die, Rak'shir laid his eyes on an icy-blue glow that emanated from the center of the room. A hook made of pure crystal lay on an ornate podium, almost as if inviting him towards it with its mesmerizing glow.

At that moment, driven by nothing but human instinct and the desperate desire to live, Rak'shir cut off his poisoned hand and replaced it with the mysterious hook before him. The hook pulsed even brighter the moment it came into contact with the bleeding socket that was his hand, sliding into place almost naturally.

Moments later, Rak'shir walked out of that den of monsters, invisible to the horrors that inhabited it.

The crystal hook made Rak'shir an unparalleled tactician. Not only could he physically _feel_ any danger that threatened to befall his comrades, the hook gifted Rak'shir with an almost intimate understanding of his opponents' predicted movements, allowing him to position himself and his troops in the perfect position to counter attack. Rak'shir could cloak his presence from the enemy hordes, allowing him to weave in and out of their battle lines to observe his opponents so long as he did not personally attack them.

Soon, however, Rak'shir learned that the him and the hook alone were not enough to win against insurmountable odds. The pure logistical disadvantages faced by him and his troops was simply far too overwhelming. As useful as the hook was in skirmishes, it was not enough to turn the tide against an enemy that was so much more powerful than his own forces.

For some time, Rak'shir contemplated leaving what he believed to be a doomed kingdom for the Baharuth Empire, where his skills would be much more profitable.

That was until met Cerabrate.

Rak'shir saw in the "Fierce Flash" the potential to achieve something that would forever be engraved in legend. Rather than commanding armies that were outnumbered, underpowered and lacking in resources, Rak'shir decided to commit his talents to transforming a single outstanding warrior into a hero that could stand alone against an unthinkable threat

There was one particular feature of the crystal hook that gave Rak'shir the confidence that he could succeed, given enough time. The item had the ability to pinpoint an opponent's weaknesses and strengths, to gauge just how strong an opponent was using a unit known as "levels", which was similar to the Adventurer Guild's rating system.

With that ability, Rak'shir could easily pick his own fights so as to never put his team in a disadvantageous decision. With the introduction of two more members to round out their combat potential, Rak'shir knew they could escape from anything that proved too much of a threat, and return when they were sufficiently prepared to defeat it.

Through this method, Rak'shir had helped Cerabrate rapidly grow more powerful while never putting themselves in a position that may lead to death. He cared little for the other two adventurers on his team. They were useful, but expendable.

Eventually, Rak'shir was confident that he could raise Cerabrate's ability enough for him to reachthe realm of heroes and overturn the tide of demihumans. It was of little concern to him how many civilians needed to be sacrificed to buy enough time for the process to be completed. Rak'shir knew that the moment he donned the crystal hook, it was his destiny to become the greatest tactician in the history of mankind.

But now, for the first time in over twenty years, he had no idea what to do.

He tried his hardest not to tremble as he gazed at the warrior in front of him, whose armor looked as black as the void.

The words that had popped up in his head when he used the crystal hook's appraisal feature on Momon the Dark Hero was something he had never seen before:

 _PLAYER DETECTED, PLAYER DETECTED_

 _PVP MODE TOGGLED_ _ **ON**_

 _Target Level: 100_

 _Target Class: FEATURE UNAVAILABLE_

 _Guild Affiliation: FEATURE UNAVAILABLE_

 _Karma Level: FEATURE UNAVAIABLE_

 _WARNING: TARGET UNAFFECTED BY THREAT IMMUNITY_

 _WARNING: LEVEL DIFFERENCE OVER 25, POTENTIAL GANKER IDENTIFIED_

The highest "level" of anything he'd ever seen before tonight was from the horse-like Soul Eaters in E-Rantel. He had appraised one of the undead creatures when it began acting hostile during the confrontation in front of the Golden Pavillion. He had been shocked to see that it was level 37.

Knowing that, he had been afraid to use his item on the Sorcerer King. If that being was capable of summoning creatures that powerful, he may very well be able to sense the appraisal ability being used on him or his attendants. It wasn't worth the risk, especially since he had no interest in making an enemy of the undead king anyway.

His fellow Adamantite adventurers were a different story. The power level of every one of the adventurers he'd appraised so far had been within his realm of expectations. The only particularly strong individuals he'd seen among the adventurers he had used his hook on were Evileye and the leader of the Eight Ripples. Until now.

This was something he'd never encountered before. His prized item began showing functions he never knew existed the moment he used it on Momon the Dark Hero. Usually, all it showed was the target's level, strengths and weaknesses. Now, the hook seemed to be working completely differently.

 _Guild affiliation? Karma level? Target Class? Function Unavailable?_

 _What the hell is a Player?_

"Um…Cowl-san, is everything alright? I thought you said you had some questions for me?"

Momon tilted his head questioningly as the hooded man in front of him seemed to freeze over completely.

The warning message from before flashed into Rak'shir's mind once more:

 _WARNING: TARGET UNAFFECTED BY THREAT IMMUNITY_

"U-um, that's alright. I'm a bit tired, Momon-san, so I'll be getting some rest in preparation for tomorrow. E-excuse me."

Rak'shir turned and walked away as calmly as he possible could, unable to see the red glint that suddenly emerged from within the eye sockets of the Dark Hero's pitch-black helm.

Ainz could not help but feel intrigued as he gazed at the hooded man's retreating back.

 _Interesting…I wonder if he used the Claw on me…._

 _If he did…_

The red glint emanating from his visor intensified into a crimson glow.

 _I cannot afford to allow this man to leave my territory alive._

* * *

 _If this chapter gave you goosebumps at least once….please favorite, follow and review! Thanks guys. ;)_

 _Author's notes:_

 _Damn, I think reading so many comments telling me to make "longer chapters" has drilled that notion into my head. Now I can't stop until I've surpassed the length of my last chapter!_

 _I've had some requests asking for a complete character sheet, but I think I'm going to hold off on that until I've showcased the basic abilities of at least most of the OCs first._

 _So instead, I'm going to share my philosophy behind writing this fanfiction. It might be boring to some, but I wanted to give some insight to anyone who's interested my vision for what I want this story to be. Personally, my favorite fanfics are the ones that expand upon the characters and foundations of canon without drastically changing the direction of the established story._

 _I don't really intend to create a sequel that determines the fate of Ainz and his subjects, nor do I wish to insert what my personal perception of what Overlord should be and change the motivations and personality of characters to fit my own fantasies. I don't want to rewrite Overlord into something else and have the story revolve around made up characters that live some power fantasy that challenges the rules created by the original author._

 _Now, I'm not saying that those other methods of writing fanfictions are worse than mine or cannot be any good, because that's definitely true. Godsfall creates a completely different AU and completely blew my mind. Stories like March of the Forsaken, Cardinal of Sin and Light's Downfall are essentially sequels and do a spectacular job. Me, personally, my inspiration comes from stories like The Reluctant Overlord or Conquest of Lodos Forest. Just like those stories, all I want to do is give people MORE OVELORD. Because that's what people read fanfictions for, after all._

 _Anyway, thanks for reading my rant. Please follow, favorite and review if you really like the story. If you're not quite that impressed yet, I'll work hard to make sure you will be eventually._


	13. Chapter 13

**Into the Dungeon**

 _Master Dungeon Entrance, Great Forest of Tob_

The crowd of adventurers gazed up in awe at the unbelievable beauty before them. The raven-haired woman's golden irises seemed to take on an enchanting glow as she swept her gaze across the crowd, and the small jet black angelic wings that fluttered at her sides imbued the woman with an almost supernatural presence. Her simple white dress accentuated a perfect figure, poised in perfect elegance, while her face contained the seductive beauty of a twilight goddess. Even the female adventurers in the crowd could not help but feel their body temperatures rising in excitement, unable to tear their gaze away from the bewitching individual before them.

Once again, Albedo's sheer beauty proved to be so great that it even managed to outshine her absolute disdain.

"Rejoice, humans! The Supreme Being Above All has deemed you fit to be the first to enter the gates to a new future for your kind. Perhaps through the meagre trials ahead, you can at last reforge your puny destinies in service of something greater."

"However, before we begin…"

'Our Master has decided that a little change of pace would be beneficial towards success against the encounters that lie within the dungeon. We will be disassembling your little teams and regrouping you into "premade dungeon groups". His Majesty expects his adventurers to be capable of adapting and coordinating with new allies in order to prevail. I shall hereby announce the rosters compiled for each adventurer rank.'

A murmur of discomfort rippled through the crowd of adventurers. Most of them had already been informed of the Sorcerer King's intention to split them up while reading the invitations, but the prospect of parting from their trusted comrades and joining up with a team of strangers was still not particularly attractive.

The Guardian Overseer directed her gaze towards the scroll of parchment she held in her.

"I shall begin by outlining the four groups we have arranged for the Adamantite Rank-"

 _Group 1_

Gagaran of Blue Rose

Neia Baraja of the Holy Kingdom

Tosh Hiro of Eight Ripples

Rosaline Whitemane of Eight Ripples

Saphira Irithyll of Crystal Tear

Luisenberg Alberion of Red Drop

 _Group 2_

Remedios Custodio of the Holy Kingdom

Momon of Darkness

Selena Magala of Eight Ripples

Irina Carim of Eight Ripple

Brock Mason of Eight Ripples

Krusty Cohenn of Crystal Tear

 _Group 3_

Nabe of Darkness

Mavrik Fenix of Eight Ripples

Rayna Marigold of Eight Ripples

Evileye of Blue Rose

Tina of Blue Rose

Cowl of Crystal Tear

 _Group 4_

Lakyus Aindra of Blue Rose

Aizuth Aindra of Red Drop

Luna Mathis of Eight Ripples

Ron Harum of Eight Ripples

Cerabrate of Crystal Tear

Tia of Blue Rose

As Albedo finished reading the last of the names for the Adamantite Ranked raid groups, a massive gate along the obsidian wall opens behind her.

"Once you have formed into your respective teams, you may proceed to enter the Master Dungeon through this gateway. Do keep in mind that the path behind me is meant for Adamantite Ranked adventurers _only_. His Majesty is not responsible for the deaths of any impudent mongrels who wish to try their might against something beyond their capabilities. I will now begin listing the groups arranged for all Mythril ranked adventurers."

* * *

 _This really does bring back memories….._

Momonga couldn't help but feel a pang of nostalgia as he observed the tight, coordinated attacks of the three "Eight Ripples" adventurers.

"Curse of Flesh: Corpseskin!"

"Ravage: Deep Wounds!"

"Holy Flame!"

The level 26 Greater Ettin spawned by the dungeon seemed barely able to respond under a Brock, Selena and Irina's barrage of synergized attacks. Momonga mused at the similarities between their tactics and that of conventional dungeon speed runners in Yggdrasil.

Debuff. Taunt. Burst. Rinse and Repeat.

The witch's "Corpseskin spell" increased the monster's vulnerability to bleed, holy and fire attacks. The damage over time effect of the warrior's "Ravage: Deep Wounds" martial art caused continuous bleed damage that was amplified by the Corpseskin debuff on the monster, allowing him to draw consistent threat from the enemy. Finally, the paladin's Holy Flame spell delivered a powerful burst of fire and holy damage that quadrupled in effect on the cursed Ettin.

The abilities themselves were nothing special, and the spell/martial art combos were frankly rudimentary at best compared to the extensive strategies his own guild employed back in Yggdrasil. However, Momonga was still surprised to see that only three of the Eight Ripples were enough to deliver such an effective display of synergy. The Overlord had initially been less than impressed with the nine-member Adamantite group, having gauged most of their individual power levels to be inferior to even the Blue Roses. However, he could see that their level of teamwork far outshone both the Blue Roses and the Paladins of the Holy Kingdom.

Soon, the Greater Ettin fell in a blaze of fire and blood under the onslaught of the three adventurers. However, instead of a corpse, the defeated creature shattered into a pile of gold and pieces of equipment.

"Huh, I guess these things aren't entirely organic." Brock commented, his voice still dripping with exhilaration from the battle.

As Irina bent down to examine the sword and greaves dropped by the Ettin, she quickly noticed faint etching of runs imprinted onto the bluish grey metal. "I wonder where that Sorcerer King gets all these high-level monsters and equipment from. I've never even seen some of these creatures and items before coming to this maze…."

Selena nodded in acknowledgement.

"Even the magic they used at the gate. It's transportation magic unlike anything I've ever seen. I think each team got teleported to a different section of the dungeon the moment they passed through the walls of the maze. It's like the magical engineering they dabble with at the Imperial Magic Academy, but something of this scale…it's practically unheard of…."

"And that's why the Undead King needs to die."

Remedios was not good with words. She had always let Calca and Kelart handle all the annoying details and wordplay. The only words she needed to know were the names of the martial arts she used to decimate her foes. From the moment she'd come to the Sorcerer Kingdom, she had been struggling to formulate her idea in a way that would make people listen, to inspire resistance against that accursed Sorcerer King. While the other female adventurers had dismissed her claims just the other night, now was an opportunity to rally support for her cause once more.

 _This is my chance_

"The Sorcerer King can't be allowed to live. Everything you see in this dungeon is proof. The abundance of monsters, the twisted, aberrant magic, the elaborate plans and schemes; that monster has to be destroyed before it is too late."

Before anyone could recover from the shock of her ridiculous outburst, the former captain of the Paladin's Order spun her furious gaze towards the dark-plated hero behind her.

" _And you…_ "

"Are you a spy fighting for humanity, or are you just another coward sucking up to the undead?"

The Dark Hero met her gaze, his eyes inscrutable behind the full visor of his dark helm as a tense, murky silence began to settle upon the group. But before Momon could utter a response, Krusty's bewildered voice pierced the uncomfortable air of confrontation.

"Hey, hey, hey! Are you insane?"

"Here we are, fighting as a team in this dungeon created by a nigh omnipotent magic caster, and you have this genius idea of starting a fight by accusing _Momon_ of being a coward and calling for the death of some insanely powerful being on his home turf? Are you serious?!"

Serena nodded in agreement. "This isn't the time or place for this. We are supposed to make it to the objective point and defeat the dungeon guardian of this area by nightfall."

"However, I will say this. Drop these stupid fantasies about defeating the Sorcerer King. He is too far beyond our ability." She recalled the seven words of power he uttered once more and trembled. "Too far…"

Irina and Brock exchanged a look of concern. Selena's gaze was now distant, filled with a mixture of fear and longing. They had noticed something unusual about their friend's demeanor since the day before, and her strange behavior now seemed as pronounced as ever. The sharp, sarcastic, fiery witch they had come to know now appeared distant and distracted.

Brock cleared his throat. Now was not the time to brood on their friend's mental integrity.

"Momon-san, I can assure you that me and my friends do not share Ms. Custodio's baseless suspicions. However, it would probably be beneficial to hear your opinion on the matter before we move on. What do you make of all this?"

The entire group turned their now expectant gazes towards the silent Dark Hero, unable to see the tumultuous conflict of thoughts bristling behind the black visor.

 _I thought Demiurge said he had plans for this woman. Why am I having to deal with her now?! She was a nuisance in the Holy Kingdom and she is a nuisance to me now._

 _Unless…._

"In regards to Custodio-san's doubts about the integrity of my intentions, believe that my actions speak for themselves. However, I will say this."

"After continuous investigation within the kingdom, I have reason to believe that the Sorcerer King was not always an undead. It is quite possible that the Ainz Ooal Gown we know now may simply be the undead form of a powerful magic caster from the past."

Irina gasped. "You're not saying….the Six Great Gods or the Eight Greed Kings? But they've been confirmed to have died hundreds of years ago!"

"But the Sorcerer King isn't alive, is he?" Brock interjected slowly, his voice full of grim realization. "So that's what we might be dealing with…to think Momon-dono could see so far ahead."

 _Eh? No….That was not what I had in mind at all….I'm just trying to imply that I'm actually pretty humane…_

But before Momonga could correct the troubling flow of conclusions around him, the group's attention was quickly redirected by a massive roar that echoed across the obsidian walls, so powerful that it shook the path before them.

 _Whew. Spared by the Boss Fight._

* * *

"This is seriously not fair."

Ron couldn't suppress his indignation any longer.

"How come we're supposed to fight that thing when we don't even have a full team yet?"

Cerabrate chuckled in mild disdain as he drew his sword in preparation for the battle ahead.

"Stop whining kid. Half the teams are down a person. We'll be fine as long as nobody screws up."

"Are we really supposed to fight the boss with just the four of us? Shouldn't we wait until the other teams show up?" mumbled Luna in meek protest.

"The Fierce Flash is right, we don't have the luxury of backing off now. We should focus on the task at hand. My uncle won't be here until tomorrow, so it can't be helped that there's just five of us. We don't know for sure that the other teams have been teleported to an area in proximity to ours. It's possible that the dungeon was designed to have each adventurer team face their own set of challenges and bosses. Besides, it's probably too late now. It's already sensed us."

Lakyus pointed her sword towards the monstrosity before them.

The crouched silhouette of a massive eight-legged behemoth began to shift inside the dimly lit cavern, allowing the adventurers to catch a better glimpse of the creature. Most readily apparent of its features was the creature's lack of skin and flesh. What should have been emerald green scales had long been stripped bare, leaving only a skeletal husk cloaked in the shadow of darkness. And yet, there was no mistaking the reptilian skeleton for a mere corpse. A pair of crimson lights burned with an intense hatred from two hollow black sockets, their sinister glow reflecting off a massive fanged skull adorned with crown-like horns. Eight limbs of bone creaked as the monster rose from its crouched position, turning to glare at the challengers before them. A massive skeletal tail snaked into the air before slamming back into the ground hard enough to leave cracks upon the cavern floor.

And then it roared. A bloodcurdling scream of primal hatred loud enough to reach even beyond the cavernous depths and echoing into the obsidian walls of the maze complex outside.

Suddenly, Lakyus and Cerabrate felt considerably less confident about their prior statements regarding their chances of victory.

 _Maybe we should wait until we have more people…._

"Evil Boss, is that… an Undead Gigant Basilisk?" Tia quietly raised the question Lakyus had been too shocked to process.

"That's…" She had been about to say impossible, but quickly realized that such a word meant nothing to the architects of the hand-crafted dungeon world around her. "I've never heard of any monster of that caliber being raised as undead. This seems even more powerful than a living version of the creature. If it were just a normal Gigant Basilisk, I'm confident we'd be able to take it, however…"

Lakyus doubted that her original strategy against Basilisks would work against the undead monster before her. Normally, she'd have Evileye slow it with a combination of earth and ice spells and then have the twins poke and slowly find weak points within its scaled exterior while being careful to avoid the creature's poison and petrifying gaze.

The thing before her was too different. She had no idea whether or not a skeletal basilisk could still spit poison and petrify enemies. Reinforced bones and a necromantic essence meant that targeting weak spots to reach vital organs would no longer be a feasible tactic. They had to find a way to cut off its life force.

 _But how?_

"This monster feels different from typical necromancer summons. It doesn't seem to be responding to any direct commands. I think it's just been given the broad task of guarding this area." observed Luna, who had finally steeled her nerves for battle.

"You can tell just by looking at it?" asked Lakyus in surprise.

Ron explained, his voice carrying both a hint of pride and a teasing tone.

"Luna has the rare ability "undead appraisal", but for some reason she decided to become a priest rather than a necromancer." =

"Blegh. I hate the undead. This ability is great for figuring out how to kill them. It's a win-win."

"Great, great. Now how do we kill it." Interjected Cerabrate, his nerves itching with impatience and anticipation at the prospect of battle.

Luna squinted at the Undead Gigant Basilisk. It had now assumed a stance of aggression, poised to explode into ferocious action towards the party at any second. However, it still had yet to truly attack them.

"Hmm…it seems that the monster has both an attention boundary and an aggression boundary. We've entered the attention boundary and have thus awakened it, but it seems the aggression boundary still hasn't been triggered. Whoever controls this thing must be a master necromancer. I've only ever seen this kind of complex mechanism within a raised undead once before.

Luna shuddered at the memory. That encounter was probably the closest call she and her team had yet faced. They would most likely have all died if not for Selena's knowledge of Zuranon's secrets.

"Can't we theoretically just pelt it with ranged attacks from here then if it can't attack us?" asked Tia.

Lakyus shook her head before Luna could respond.

"I doubt that someone capable of making all this would overlook such a simple exploit. We're in the Sorcerer King's territory now. It's probably best if we play things by the book. Besides…"

Lakyus smiled.

"I have a plan."

* * *

Great Tomb of Nazarick, 9th Floor, Cinema Room

Demiurge, Aura, Mare, Cocytus, Shalltear, Entoma, Solution, CZ, Lupusregina and Yuri sat together a massive screen, now modified as a rectangular scrying glass split into several hundred conjoined screens, each little panel displaying the actions of the adventurer groups within the Master Dungeon. Shalltear pointed towards one section of the screen, and four panels enlarged into view, each screen showing the actions of one of the Adamantite groups.

"I still don't get why all of this is necessary. I mean, look at them."

Shalltear gestured towards one of the enlarged panels. Five figures moved in a blur around one reptilian construct, seemingly assaulting it with a barrage of physical and magical attacks.

"These are the supposed to be some of the strongest humans. This is like watching ants trying to take down a lizard. Why does Ainz-sama go to such lengths to examine them? Wouldn't it be easier to just capture them and force them to fight each other?"

Aura sighed at the question.

"You've asked that how many times now? Did you lose all the brain cells you gained at the Dwarven Kingdom already?"

Shalltear bared her fangs at the dark elf, but before she could retort, Cocytus's icy breath filled the room.

"This. Is. Disgraceful. Lord. Ainz. Went. To. All. This Trouble. To. Create. This. Opportunity. But. The. Humans. Are. Just. Flailing. Around. No. Strategy."

Indeed, the adventurers in the screen seemed to lack any cohesive manner of attack, instead relying on an onslaught of disparate strikes. The undead Gigant Basilisk seemed barely fazed, only growing ever more enraged as the battle continued. At that moment, as the adventurer's barrage of attacks seemed to falter temporarily, the monster struck back.

Sensing the adventurer's growing fatigue, the Basilisk took advantage of the growing delay between attacks, whipping its skeletal tail through the air to slam into a lithe figure who had been using hit and run tactics. Before she could slip back into the shadows, the bony whip slammed into her liver, knocking her to the ground. The guardians could hear the crunch of her ribs breaking on impact, and the screams of her companions. Solution licked her lips.

Demiurge's tail pricked up as he prepared to engage in two of his favorite activities simultaneously. The savoring of human suffering and the evaluation and promotion of his master's genius plans.

"I have a…theory, if you will."

The group of NPCs turned away from the ongoing carnage to look at the 7th floor Guardian, who now had a devilish smile on his face as he began his explanation.

"Has anyone else found it strange that Ainz-sama seemed completely unsurprised to find that this world was dominated by the human race?"

Mare tilted his head, pondering the question.

"N-no…it's a-as if humans were the first things he expected to see."

Demiurge's grin widened even more.

"Exactly! Isn't that surprising, considering that the Supreme Beings were all demihumans and heteromorphs, and that they lived in a world of immeasurably powerful beings? Why was Ainz-sama completely unfazed when he saw that the weak, pathetic race of humans now served as the rulers and slavers of the land? It was as if he expected that the first beings he saw would be none other than these puny humans."

Lupusregina tilted her head, her face a mixture of confusion and intrigue.

"What are you saying? Isn't that just Ainz-sama being Ainz-sama? He's omnipotent, so something like that wouldn't surprise him."

Demiurge shook his head.

"Ainz-sama is an unrivaled mastermind and his intellect is so great that he _seems_ all knowing. However, as much as it pains me to say. Ainz-sama's insight is not without limit. It is very unlikely that he knew about the nature of this world from the beginning."

"My conclusion is simple."

Demiurge raised his hand to readjust his spectacles, allowing a bright sheen to reflect off the immaculate lenses. Concealed behind their glow, a wicked excitement burned within his eyes.

"Ainz-sama knows something about the human race that we, and most likely the humans themselves, do not. My extensive research and experimentation on live human subjects have all been borne from my fascination, my desire to discover this secret and draw closer to the Supreme Being. Yet so far, I have discovered very little beyond paltry applications."

Cocytus's cold breath filled the room once more. This time, rather than disappointment and disdain, his voice carried a tone of surprise and admiration. He gestured towards the screen once more.

"They. Have. Started. To. Change. Tactics."

* * *

"This isn't working, we have to break its bones!"

Lakyus turned in surprise to the sound of the Fierce Flash's voice. Cerabrate had said nothing throughout the increasingly desperate battle. Now, she saw the warrior embedding his sword into a crack within the skeleton's left foreleg before quickly ripping it out and then ramming it once more into the widening crack.

And then it clicked.

The entire time, she had fallen prey to functional fixedness, and had been fighting the undead Basilisk the same way she fought a living one. She had seen the compact, sturdy bones of the skeletal creature as a form of armor, and had thus instructed her companions to go for the openings between the bone, to try to find some sort of core or weak spot hidden inside the skeletal construct.

She smiled bitterly.

 _So much for your "plan"._

The Basilisk could no longer spit poison without its glands, and its lack of actual eyes meant that its petrifying gaze could no longer pose a threat. Clearly, the organic parts of the monster had all but deteriorated. It was now a force of brute strength alone, powered by necromantic energy. Lakyus had hoped that they could find the source of that energy hidden within the creature and destroy it, but she had overlooked one obvious fact.

While necromancer summons could regenerate, it required the necromancer to actively pool energy into their summon to knit the bones back together. The creature before them had no master present to heal it. That meant that any damage to its physical body would be permanent and debilitating. Which in turn meant that there were two potential options to defeat it:

1) Destroy the physical appendages necessary for it to move and attack, effectively crippling it

2) Force the necromancer to come out of hiding to heal it, and kill them.

 _Let's see just how strong those bones really are._

"Tia and Luna, can you concentrate your fire attacks into that crack in its left forelimb? I'm going to charge up Killneiram."

Luna, who was still healing a battered and bloody Tia, yelled back in protest:

"I'm not done yet! She shouldn't be movi-"

She stopped as she felt Tia's firm hand on her shoulder. She turned to look into the fierce eyes of the Blue Rose Assassin.

"It'll be fine. We need to do this."

Luna had opened her mouth to protest some more, but closed it as she heard the grim determination in Tia's voice. She turned to face the monster.

"Do it quick, I can't distract it for much longer!" yelled Cerabrate.

 _Holy Flame!_

 _Bursting Flame Column: Concentrated Ignition!_

A combustion of white and orange flame erupted from the crevice on the bone, causing the undead Basilisk to recoil and screech in pain.

"Frost Arrow, now!" Lakyus shouted at Ron.

"Yes, ma'am."

A streak of icy blue flew through the air, leaving a trail of icy vapor in its wake as it struck the still burning crack on the forelimb of the undead Gigant Basilisk.

The monster's forelimb finally gave way under the rapid infusion of intense heat and cold, the damage to the undead amplified after being weakened by Luna's holy spell. The creature's bloodcurdling roar echoed throughout the cavern as it crashed forward into the ground, its massive weight no longer supported by all four limbs. However, it was far from defeated.

The blood red glow within the Basilisk's eye sockets greatly intensified, flooding the cavern with an eerie crimson light. The monster's fiery gaze settled upon the five adventurers before it. Lakyus felt a sudden stab of panic as she realized her mistake

 _The petrifying gaze doesn't come from its eyeballs, they come from a magical ability. Those are retained upon resurrection._

 _Not now! I need a few more seconds to finish charging up Killneiram's Dark Blade Mega Impact attack._

The monster's fanged maw curled into something resembling a triumphant sneer, but before the red glow in its eyes could climax to unleash its signature power, Ron's arrow hit its mark.

Too focused on channelling its petrifying gaze, the Basilisk could no longer look up to see Ron's reinforced arrow smashing into the Stalagtite above it. The chisel shaped rock came crashing down onto the creature's head, obliterating half of its skull and interrupting its channelling.

As the undead Basilisk's half-destroyed skull reared up one last time to look at the humans before it, all it could see was the great black aura of a cursed sword as it crashed down and consumed it.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14: Into the Dungeon (Part 2)**

 _That is…..not a normal "Lightning" spell._

The same sentiment echoed within the minds of five adventurers as they witnessed the streak of devastating electricity surge straight through the horde of copper elementals, crackling with power as its cerulean light illuminated the pitch black cavern.

The shambling metallic monsters became overloaded with energy, spasming uncontrollably before clattering onto the ground back into a lifeless stack of copper ore.

Rayna Marigold gave a weak smile and finally broke the shocked silence with a quiet mumble of commendation.

"Ah…g-good work, Nabe-san…"

The "Beautiful Princess" gave a short grunt of acknowledgement before continuing forward.

Rayna lowered her voice to a whisper.

"Mav-kun, isn't Lightning just a tier 3 spell? She's been spamming it and pulverizing everything this whole time."

Mavrik nodded slowly before responding.

"Yes, but even basic spells can be very strong when used by highly skilled mages. It seems that instead of investing in higher level incantations, Miss Nabe has funnelled all her practice and energy into mastering several key spells. A unique yet highly effective strategy it seems."

"If we can hear you, she can definitely hear you talking about her as well."

Mavrik and Rayna turned in surprise to Evileye's sudden interjecton.

"We have two interesting individuals among us, don't we?" continued the vampire, glancing slightly behind her towards the dark, hooded figure behind them.

This was the formation that they had been maintaining since teleporting into the dungeon. Nabe spearheaded the group by herself, Cowl stayed all the way in the rear, while Tia, Evileye, Mavrik and Rayna formed the center. They had been transported into what seemed like an abandoned mine, filled with elemental constructs made of precious metals and the occasional pack of Quagoa beast-men.

Evileye was relatively used to Nabe's sheer power and cold demeanour, but the man calling himself Cowl proved to be an equally peculiar adventurer.

Cowl did not fight. Nor did he use healing spells or anything of the like. Yet despite this, the mysterious man was far from a liability.

It was as if he was an invisible tactical spirit who had transcended the mortal plane, barking orders to his team mates in a voice of complete confidence, devoid of worry or stress. Miraculously, the monsters ignored him completely. Even the coveted invisibility spell could be foiled by opponents with magic or strong non-visual senses. Here, the monsters simply acted as if Cowl did not exist. It was unbelievable. At first, Evileye was reluctant to take orders from a stranger, even if it was a fellow Adamantite adventurer. However, as time passed, the vampire could not help but acknowledge that Cowl's instructions demonstrated a tactical mastery of positioning, timing and precision that essentially trivialized every encounter they faced. Eventually, every member of the group grew accustomed to following his every command in battle to great effect.

Well, _almost_ every member.

Nabe simply ignored every word and went ahead by herself, cleaving a line through the hordes of monsters while leaving the rest for the other members of the group to take care of. Evileye couldn't help but muse at how opposite the Cowl and Nabe were. The hooded man was a cold voice of command in the rear while the dark haired beauty of Darkness smashed through everything with brute force.

Evileye sighed.

 _Even after all these centuries, I still run into people that never fail to surprise me._

 _Ah...Momon-san…if only I could have run into you sooner…_

Tina shot a glance at the vampire besides her, whose stride had suddenly turned wobbly and sluggish as if in a daze. She rolled her eyes in exasperation.

 _Yeah, she's definitely thinking about him again._

Normally, Tina would be responsible for scouting the fray for her team to determine what threats lay ahead, but Nabe's decision to cut straight through the enemy by herself made this unnecessary. However, it seemed that the "Beautiful Princess" had suddenly come to a stop. The dark haired beauty stood in front of a massive stone construct etched with bizarre runic symbols. She turned towards the rest of the team and spoke.

"We're here. Try not to die too quickly."

And then she touched the rock.

* * *

 _LESSER ITEM INHIBITOR INBOUND_

 _LESSER ITEM INHIBTOR IN EFFECT_

 _THREAT IMMUNITY TEMPORARILY DISABLED_

 _HOUDINI'S INSIGHT PASSIVE TEMPORARILY DISABLED_

Rak'shir had no idea what was going on. The glowing crystal hook he prided as the source of his power had suddenly turned into a lightless and gray. A string of unfamiliar words flashed through his head and a feeling of fatigue and a sense of loss washed over him, as if a part of his very essence had been stolen away.

He looked around towards his team mates. The adventurers from Eight Ripples and Blue Rose were gazing both with curiosity and nervousness at the strange stone before them, their instincts warning them of a battle to come.

The beautiful girl from Darkness, the infuriating one who had been ignoring him the entire time, now stared at him with a curious look on her face, her hand still touching the rock. She seemed to sense the mounting panic and weakness he was experiencing, and a reassured, smug look spread on her face as she saw the light disappearing from his hook. Rak'shir shifted his gaze towards the girl's hand. The rune underneath had begun to glow with a crystal light.

The same color as his crystal hook.

 _What the heck is going on?_

An amused look on her face, Nabe released her hand from the stone.

 ** _ITEM EFFECT TRANSFERRED_**

 ** _ARMAMENT GOLEM ACTIVATED_**

The inhuman voice that used to only appear in his head when he used the claw now resonated throughout the room.

Rak'shir gasped out loud.

"I-impossible…"

The crystal glow on the etched rune intensified and the stone construct began to move, shaking the entire cavern as it slowly rose out of the ground.

Soon, the full chassis of a massive stone golem emerged from the ground. Unlike the typical brown clay golems found laboring tirelessly around E-Rantel, this monstrosity towered over its normal brethren and possessed a turquoise-green rather than brown hue. A crystal glow spread from the rune towards the rest of its body, imbuing the golem with a strange crystalline incandescence. The rune itself served like a face for the construct as it turned slowly, as if assessing the environment around it.

Gazing at the gargantuan monster before him, Mavrik gave a weak chuckle.

"We have a strategy, right?"

Everyone except Nabe turned to look at Cowl expectantly, as if awaiting his instruction.

 _I-it's not working._

The usual sense of intuition and automatic mental processing that flowed through him from the hook was nowhere to be found. Rak'shir looked at his prized artifact, now a dull and lifeless attachment of his hand.

"Guys, something's wrong! I-"

He was cut short by a massive impact that jolted him to the bone. The enormous golem had leapt into the air with astounding speed and crashed onto the ground right behind him.

Evileye's eyes widened with surprise as 9 tons of stone practically shot into the air and dove behind the dazed strategist.

"Watch out!"

The golem's massive stone fist struck Cowl like a battering ram, rag-dolling the still-shocked man across the room.

He stopped moving.

 _That guy has been untouchable this entire time, yet this golem pulverized him within a matter of seconds. What is that thing?_

A wave of blue light emanated from the Golem's rune, sweeping across the room like the surveying beacon of a light house before concentrating into a beam to fixate upon Nabe.

Once again, the golem leapt into the air and hurtled towards its new target. Nabe immediately whipped her hand out and cast a spell to counterattack.

 _Electrosphere_

However, the devastating lightning magic that had cleaved a way through all the previous monsters now merely crackled harmlessly upon coming into contact with the massive stone golem. Completely unfazed, the golem continued to plummet at breakneck speed towards the female adventurer. Nabe unsheathed her sword just in time to block the bone-crushing blow, but the impact launched her backwards several meters. She dropped to her knees, grunting at the sheer force of the blow.

Rayna gasped. "Even Nabe…"

The wave of blue light washed over the adventurers once more, this time fixating upon Tina, completely ignoring her stealthed position.

Evileye yelled at her teammates: "We need to disable that glowing rune on its head!"

The ground rumbled once again as the golem prepared to propel itself into the air a third time.

 _Reverse Gravity!_

Evileye's Reverse Gravity spell completely reverses the gravitational pull within a designated area. However, the sheer effort and mana required to maintain the spell on such a massive creature made it impossible to restrain the golem for extended periods of time. Still, the spell successfully interrupted the Golem's leap attack, forcing it to instead lumber slowly over towards Tina.

With the golem now walking rather than leaping, the group could see that strange contraptions had been strapped to its feet, legs and arms, forming a ring of outward jutting holes that emitted smoke and heat, clanking with a metallic sound as the golem moved.

On top of being a renowned scholar, Mavrik's held his own in combat by being a highly capable battle alchemist. He immediately recognized the scent carried within the smoke.

 _Fulminated Heatstone? What is that doing inside a golem? The dwarves use it as a fuel by combining it with hard Mithril to create intense heat…_

 _Wait…_

 _Mithril…._

Mavrik stared with dawning realization at the turquoise-green golem before him.

 _I see, so they created an alloy of rock and mithril to construct this golem. To think they would have enough to make such a gargantuan monster….but aren't golems powered by mana? What's the point of using Heatstone as fuel?_

"Don't just stand there, help!"

Rayna yelled at her friend as she brought her hammer down onto the golem's leg. Evileye flew around the golem, pelting it with ice shards in an attempt to damage and slow it down. Tina slowly backed away from the monster, evaluating the best course of action. Nabe, having recovered from the last blow, moved in to engage the golem once more, this time with a greater wariness. Cowl's body continued to lie lifeless in a corner.

The golem, which had seemed completely unfazed by the onslaught of attacks as it slowly advanced towards its target, suddenly stopped. The heat and smoke oozing from the ring of holes on its arms, feet and legs intensified, and a fiery blue-red glow flared from the contraptions.

Mavrik's eyes widened.

"GET DOWN, NOW!"

Reacting instinctively to the warning, Tina triggered her "Evasion" martial art just in time to duck beneath the golem's massive fist as it shot out with unbelievable speed and power, sending shockwaves that knocked back all the adventurers around.

Mavrik hastily shouted an explanation:

"This golem is made of mithril and rock, and there are stores of fulminated Heatstone inside those makeshift holes around its body. The mana powering the golem causes the Heaststone to heat up and react with the mithril, creating a massive surge of energy that propels the monster's body or limbs with extreme force. However, those contraptions that allow these reactions to happen will overheat upon use, and the golem will go back to being slow and cumbersome until they cool down."

Evileye nodded in agreement.

"So that explains how it can propel itself into the air like that. I think I've figured out how its magic works as well. The blue light scans us for the most viable target and develops a direct course of action to take them out. I think it has something to do with Cowl's ability and his sudden vulnerability, but I'm not sure what. Knowing the Sorcerer King, he probably designed this encounter with all our abilities in mind."

Rayna interjected meekly: "Um guys…it's doing that thing again…"

The golem scanned the room once again, its beam of light now fixating upon Mavrik.

"We don't have much time before it reaches me, and I'm not fast enough to dodge it. Miss Nabe, we need your magic m for this one. Miss Evileye, you too."

Nabe sighed, tilting her head to indicate she was listening.

"When I give the signal, use Lightning and target the contraptions on its body. This will heat up and cause a premature reaction between the fulminated Heatstone stores and the Mithril. The golem will be forced to exert its force prematurely. When this happens, use Reverse Gravity on the fist right as it shoots out to knock it off balance. If it decides to launch into the air again, use Reverse Gravity right before it reaches the pinnacle of its jump and knock it to the ground."

Mavrik took out a bottle of orange liquid and threw it to Tina.

"The moment it hits the ground, sprint in and spread this on top of the glowing rune on its head and then immediately get clear. Rayna, I need you to hit the same spot Tina spread the liquid."

"Same combo?"

"Yep, same combo."

The golem slowly closed the distance, now only several feet away from striking distance to Mavrik.

"NOW!"

Nabe fired her spell with utter precision, the chain of electricity surging through the Golem's propellers. The Golem shuddered as its limbs began buzzing with overwhelming energy, before propelling itself into the air once again towards Mavrik.

Evileye's Reverse Gravity Spell hit it around the halfway point of its flight, lasting just long enough to send the Golem crashing straight down into the ground. With the speed and finesse of a panther, Tina pounced onto the Golem's head where the glowing rune lay, pouring the orange liquid on top and immediately rolling away as Rayna leapt through the air, her hammer raised with a vengeance.

 _COUNTER SMASH!_

Upon coming into contact with the massive impact of Rayna's blow, the orange liquid exploded in response, encasing both the Golem's upper body and Rayna within a massive explosion.

Tina gasped in shock, turning towards Mavrik in outrage.

"Did you know that w-"

Evileye interrupted her friend with a calm voice.

"Look."

Rayna walked out of the blast zone seemingly unscathed. The golem's "face" had been caved in, the rune shattered, and the construct now nothing but a lifeless mound of metal and rock. Rayna cheerfully explained:

"My martial art Counter Smash is a two-hit-in-one move, the second impact triggering after I take a certain amount of damage after the initial blow. Basically, I absorbed the explosion and turned into further damage to destroy the golem. Me and Mavrik use it a lot when we're adventuring. The Eight Ripples have a lot of cool combos like that."

Suddenly, a large gate appeared upon what had previously been an empty cavern wall. An elder lich appeared, with nervous looking several human mages in tow. It bowed, before announcing in a cold rasp:

"Well done, adventurers. You have defeated your first dungeon boss, and shall be rewarded accordingly when you return. Please enter through this gate when you are ready to leave."

The lich turned its gaze towards Cowl's lifeless body. Rayna, Mavrik, Tina and Evileye felt a pang of guilt as they realized that they had forgotten about him in the heat of such an intense battle.

"It seems that your team has suffered one casualty. Worry not, for death is but a paltry inconvenience to the Great Sorcerer King. We will be collecting his…remnants for resurrection."

Nabe walked straight into the gate without another word.

The others followed suit.

* * *

Momonga was both pleasantly surprised and slightly concerned about the smooth success of the Master Dungeon. There had been barely any deaths (aside from the one that had been planned), and the overall reception of the event was very positive. None of the adventurers had ever experienced any form of training as advanced and extensive as that of the Master Dungeon. Now that they had been given a taste of what the Sorcerer Kingdom offered, further enticement would be much easier.

The experiments he had wanted to test were an astounding success and provided massive insight over the possibilities for magical and technological advancement within the New World. The first experiment involved an Undead Gigant Basilisk created through the custom spawning system within Nazarick. These custom spawns could be given basic settings to guard or patrol a certain area. Momonga had used one of his special in-game items, the Mini-housing Extension Tool to connect an area inside the dungeon directly to the spawn area of Nazarick. He proceeded to place he custom spawned monster inside the dungeon, and then immediately severed the connection to Nazarick. Surprisingly, the undead still retained the "guard" setting over the same specified radius. This little trick could potentially be a major boon for future training exercises and perhaps even assist in the deployment of defensive troops.

The experiment with the golem was another astounding success, one that he was particularly proud of. Momonga had been struggling to find ways of mixing magic from Yggdrasil and the New World in practical ways that could enhance the strength of his forces. Now, he had finally found a breakthrough. The dwarves could not create any runes with significantly powerful enchantments, but one interesting application was the ability of empty runes to _store_ magic. Of course, while they could not store any magic above the third tier, there was an interesting niche utility that they offered when combined with Yggdrasil items and magic.

The "Armament Golem" was an intermediate level summon in Yggdrasil, and could be created by anyone with sufficient skill in magic using stone, a type of ore, and a magical item. The golem would then retain the stats and ability of the magical item. However, the mediocre base stats and bulk of the golem made it relatively obsolete late game, and very few people were willing to sacrifice their best items to experiment with Armament Golem builds.

Momonga came up with the idea of using an empty rune sword to create one of these golems. The rune itself would be empty, but the sword would be enchanted with a low level one-use activation spell called "Spellsteal", which consumed one charge to activate the spell and temporarily "steal" the ability of another player's equipped low level magic item. Upon creation of the golem, Momonga was surprised to find that it had indeed retained both the empty rune and the spellsteal effect. The key discovery of this experiment was the fact that by transferring the spellsteal effect to the rune, the stolen effect would then be permanently stored within the rune. For some reason, this was not possible with just a spellsteal enchanted rune weapon, but only through activating an armament golem via the spell.

 _If this world's runes were in Yggdrasil, greater spellsteal+rune armament golems might be pretty broken as a means of collecting enchantments and storing them. That is, only if these runes could hold higher level enchantments._

Alas, the current runes could only hold lower level enchantments. Still, the discovery was still quite amazing, especially considering how the Armament Golem could be augmented.

The inspiration for the second part of the Golem experiment came while he was discussing the potential application of runes with the Dwarven runesmith Gondo Firebeard. Momonga had mentioned creating runic golems, and the dwarf became very excited, offering to help with construction. Gondo had proposed using Heatstone to make the golem at first, but the material proved to be too soft and unstable, reducing the golem to a clumsy magma elemental.

Gondo mentioned that Heatstone was used as both a fuel and heat source within the Dwarven Kingdom, which greatly peaked Momonga's interest. The idea of using fuel to power magical constructs and improve them came to mind, and thus the rocket-propelled Spellsteal Armament Golem was born. It was a crude creation, but Momonga was surprised to see that it could even move. He had been reluctant to put his prototype in as a boss encounter in the Master Dungeon, but ultimately decided that a true test run would be most beneficial to future experimentation.

Especially since it served as a nifty means to kill two birds with one stone. Semi-literally.


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15: Celebration and Interrogation**

 _Nazarick Hotel, Grand Dining Hall_

Thousands of adventurers sat within a massive, brightly lit room. Grand dining tables brimming with endless platters of food and drink emanated a delicious aroma that mingled with a cozy warmth in the air, creating an atmosphere of dream-like comfort, welcoming the salivation of heroes. The upper fringes of the Dining Hall walls were mounted with giant screens displaying the recorded highlights of the adventurers' feats within the dungeon.

Brock sat as next to his fellow Eight Ripples, trying with difficulty to tune out the cheery antics of his friends in order to focus on one of the screens above him. As usual, their leader was gorging down several times her body weight in food, much to the envy of her female comrades. Rosaline was a true "foodie", especially when it came to eating meat, yet her body shape remained lithe and slim despite her gluttonous habits. Brock supposed it wasn't all that shocking if one considered her unique natural predisposition. The nutrition probably went to maintaining her…other form.

While the Eight Ripples prided themselves as a force that thrived on teamwork and mutual support, Brock had always preferred honing his individual prowess over working on those "combos" that his teammates often utilized.

The first reason for this was due to his role as a tank. He understood that his role required self sufficiency and individual grit that he could not forego in favor of situational coordinated attacks. His own survival was paramount in order for his team mates to be successful, and he knew that relying too much on external healing would only increase the pressure on his comrades and reduce their offensive ability.

The second reason….

 _I love them…but….they're all a bunch of freaking weirdos…._

Brock had a hard time relating and coordinating complex maneuvers with his team mates. He considered most of them an assortment of oddballs that he could never understand completely.

Selena had a warped sense of morality and tinkered with magic that looked like something out of a nightmare. She occasionally displayed pleasure at inflicting pain but at the same time would risk life and limb to save an innocent life. Her eccentric, unstable personality and biting sarcasm seemed to have only grown since coming to the Sorcerer Kingdom. Her stated motivations for becoming an adventurer obviously did not reflect the whole picture.

Ron was a master archer who happened to also possess a talent for magical enchantment. On the surface, he was a goofball and a good drinking partner, but Brock suspected it was an act. There were times when Ron became serious and reacted with lightning quick judgement and ruthless execution. There were times when he could predict and respond to danger before anyone else even began to notice the threat. During such moments, Brock could catch a glimpse of what he suspected to be the cold, steely gaze of a hardened criminal behind Ron's casual façade.

Tosh had absolutely no talent as a fighter. None. But he was crazy. Brock once saw Tosh pick himself up and continue fighting after being stabbed eight consecutive times and slammed right in the back of the skull by a club. When his team mates are in immediate danger, Tosh seems to go completely nuts and ignore pain and exhaustion completely. This insane kid refused to give up, ever, and his determination was infectious. Tosh's determination probably fueled the Eight Ripples' teamwork. Still, Brock found it difficult to coordinate with someone who would charge in screaming and survive through a combination of grit and dumb luck. Brock also saw Tosh as perhaps the biggest potential cause of destructive romantic drama within the party.

Mavrik called himself a scholar and an alchemist. Which…wasn't untrue. He read a lot, knew a lot, and could make some pretty damn effective potions. But that definitely wasn't all there was to the man. Mavrik's tactical mind and combat efficiency could not have come simply from reading books and brewing herbs. Brock suspected a complicated military background.

Rayna was an overgrown child that killed monsters with a gigantic hammer. Brock had no reason to think she was acting, which made the fact even scarier.

Luna and Irina were both fairly normal in comparison to the rest, at least in terms of personality. However, Brock could never bring himself to trust priests and paladins after his brother's death under the neglect of the Church. His resentment towards the spiritual community had faded since then, but he still had a hard time working with individuals who drew their power from embracing their absolute inferiority to another entity. It was little different from the Sorcerer King's fanatical followers in his opinion. Still, he worked with those two the most as they kept him alive with buffs and heals. Irina in particular was someone Brock had grown rather fond of. She shared his concern regarding the diverse idiosyncrasies of their team mates.

Brock shot a quick glance at the silver haired Rosaline, who was now devouring her fifth steak.

 _The one who brought us all together….the kindest and most dangerous of us all._

Brock turned his thoughts away from his leader and focused on the screen. The object itself, able to record and project events to an audience was quite remarkable. He could see it being a major boon to societies if it ever came into widespread use, but he supposed the same could be said for most of the Sorcerer King's resources. His true fascination lay with what the screen was currently displaying.

A towering warrior clad within jet-black armor darted across the screen with blinding speed, letting both his enormous swords clatter onto the ground as he used his bare hands to pry open the jaws of a massive golden-furred lion.

Brock considered himself to be pretty strong. His self-reliant nature and focus on individual strength over teamwork in an Adamantite party based entirely on the premise of group proficiency demanded an acute awareness of one's ability and limitations. In terms of one on one combat ability, Brock was confident he was stronger than almost all of his team mates. While his offense was admittedly lacking, Brock believed that he was capable of stalemating warriors on the level of Gazef Stronoff for quite some time until help arrived.

But as he recalled the boss fight that had occurred only several hours ago, he began to have second thoughts about his personal strength.

The earth-shaking roar they had heard within the labyrinth lead them to the den of a truly fearsome beast. A lion the size of a house with gold fur that glittered with a metallic sheen sprang towards them on sight, its movements faster than the eye could follow..

As a tank, Brock had immediately attempted to engage the monster and draw its attention from the others. However, as he swung his axe at the lion's hide….

The axeblade shattered.

His trusty orichalcum axe, which he had spent several years-worth of savings to purchase, shattered like glass upon contact with the beast's fur. The lion did not even flinch at the attack as it pounced towards Selena, as if recognizing her as the most vulnerable target in close combat.

Before anyone else could even register the shocking chain of events that occurred within a matter of seconds, _he_ responded.

The Dark Hero dropped both his weapons-the last thing any warrior should ever think to do in battle-and intercepted the lion in mid air with his bare hands.

"Its hide is immune to weapons! I'll hold it off and you guys hit it with magic!"

While Krusty, Remedios, Selena and Irina jolted into action at the sound of Momon's words, Brock stood there, too shook to act as he continued to stare at the useless stick in his hands.

Brock had heard rumors and stories about the Dark Hero's power. How he had single handedly crushed and undead army, repelled a demon lord and vampire who were both powerful enough to raze kingdoms, but as he stood there staring at the faceless warrior grappling with the monster that had shattered his axe, his confidence broke even more thoroughly than his weapon.

 _We're both Adamantite…so how can the distance be this great?_

* * *

"Hey, Selena, do you think Brock is okay? He still seems kind of…you know…."

Selena looked annoyed as she paused her consumption of the sweet, sticky hazel colored liquid to glance at the direction her friend was indicating.

"Oh, your little boyfriend? He's probably still upset about his axe. He loves that axe."

Irina's face took on a deep crimson shade.

"I-I'm going to ignore what you just said. I mean, it does suck though, to lose a weapon you spent years saving up enough money to forge."

"Right. I think the Hotel has an equipment store where you can acquire weapons and armor based on your performance in the dungeon. Maybe he could get something there. Alternatively, I think I recall hearing about some Dwarven blacksmiths back in E-Rantel."

"That might not be a bad idea…how about we-"

"Um, where are you going?"

Selena had gotten up from her seat and began walking towards the great double doors that marked the exit of the dining hall.

"Just…taking a stroll…"

* * *

 _Nazarick Hotel 2nd Floor, Female Adamantite Suite_

 _The darkness…_

 _It's taking over me…_

 _Visions of corruption_

 _Visions of supremacy_

 _I can feel the chill of evil flowing through my very veins_

 _This overwhelming power…_

 _No! I can't give in! I must hold back, for the sake of everyone I care abou-_

 _"_ LAKYUS! WHAT ARE YOU DOING BACK THERE?! EVERYONE IS AT THE FEAST!"

Gagaran's booming voice rang out from the closed door to Lakyus's room.

 _No, not now! If I lose my concentration now, this dark power will be unleashed and-_

The door slammed open and the large burly figure of Gagaran loomed into view.

"What are you….why are you clutching Kilneiram like that? Wait, haven't I seen this before?"

Lakyus's pale cheeks turned a deep pink.

"Gah! Stay back! I-it's nothing!"

Tina's head popped out behind Gagaran.

"Are you okay, evil leader?"

"Yes, yes! I'm fine! Now please, just let me be!"

Gagaran and Tina stared at their leader in silence, concern readily apparent on their faces.

Finally, Gagaran spoke:

"Anyway, your uncle and his team have arrived. They're at the dining hall."

* * *

All Rak'shir could feel was the cold, all he could see was darkness. He could feel his sense of being slowly ebbing away, the lightless surroundings sapping away at his will to exist.

And then he heard it.

The call.

It was not a plea, nor a request. It felt like a summon, no…a command.

 _A command of absolute supremacy. A voice that reaches beyond death._

"Wake up."

Part of Rak'shir wanted to resist. To relax and let the wave of nothingness consume him. But the voice spoke again.

"Rak'shir of Palamedes."

A surge of familiar shock coursed through his body. He hadn't heart that name in decades. The name of his home, now forever lost under the fires of conquest.

Rak'shir's eyes snapped open. He felt himself almost completely immobilized, with only his eyes and mouth barely free to move.

"How…"

The same imposing voice greeted him.

"Ah good, it worked. It would have been disappointing if you'd simply died."

Staring back into the eyes of Rak'shir were two hollow sockets, devoid of light except for a flickering crimson light. Rak'shir could feel his very sanity and awareness beginning to flee him as he continued to stare into the abyssal gaze before him. With great difficulty, he forced himself to look away and survey his surroundings.

He was in a medium sized room constructed of some unfamiliar smooth-looking white material. There were no lamps or torches to be seen, but by an omnipresent yellow glow that Rak'shir presumed to be magic. There was no furniture or anything of the like, nor could Rak'shir see any windows or doors.

Finally, Rak'shir slowly swiveled his eyes back towards the individual who had awoken him, this time avoiding any direct eye contact. The robed skeletal figure before him was unmistakable.

 _The Sorcerer King, Ainz Ooal Gown_

Instinctively, Rak'shir called upon the power of his crystal hook to appraise the entity in front of him.

But…nothing happened. Grim realization dawned as Rak'shir slowly shifted his eyes to look at the stump where his hook had once been. The paralysis limiting his movement had been so strong that he could not even feel the loss of the crucial appendage.

"Ah yes, the claw. Quite annoying to deal with in this world compared to the other appraisal skills and abilities, since as its level detection is baseline and cannot be countered using stat-hiding items and spells. The most fool-proof option was to simply disable it, so I had my servant Neuronist cut it off. I hope you understand."

"W-what do you want?"

The undead king nodded, as if expecting the question.

"I simply want information. Where did you obtain the Claw? Who else knows about its effects?"

Rak'shir understood that he was in no position to protest. With or without his hook, the only option of survival was to cooperate. Thus, he relayed the information about the Brightness Dragon Lord's domain to the Sorcerer King.

"Umu…interesting." Ainz murmured to himelf.

 _Demiurge would probably be interested in hearing more about these breeding experiments. And these dragon lords….for them to have access to Yggdrasil equipment…"_

Rak'shir stared at the pondering Overlord with bated breath as he awaited the next question. He chose to remain silent until spoken to.

"You used the Claw on Momon, yes? You saw?"

For a moment, Rak'shir was tempted to lie. However, he decided that such an attempt would likely lead to an even faster and more painful demise. Thus, he nodded in confirmation.

Finally, Rak'shir's curiosity outweighed his fear.

"What is a player?"

The entire room seemed to freeze just like his body the moment the question escaped his lips. The crimson light emanating from the Sorcerer King's eye dimmed before flaring with even greater intensity.

 _So he doesn't know…._

Ainz Ooal Gown raised his hand. A throbbing heart appeared, trapped within his bony grasp.

"My kind."

He closed his fist.

* * *

 **Character Sheets:**

 **Ron Harum**

Job Classes:

Archer (7)

Enchanter (6)

Ranger (3)

Rogue (4)

Total Level: 20

Karma: Neutral +75

 **Selena Magala**

Job Classes:

Necromancer (6)

Holy Priest (4)

Shadow Priest (5)

Demonologist (2)

Thaumaturgist (4)

Total Level: 21

Karma: Neutral +25

 **Mavrik Fenix**

Job Classes:

Strategist (7)

Alchemist (6)

Spellweaver (3)

Total Level: 16

Karma: Neutral Good +125

 **Rayna Marigold**

Job Classes:

Macefighter (9)

Warrior (7)

Fighter (3)

Total Level: 19

Karma: Neutral Good +125

 **Brock Mason**

Job Classes:

Warrior (7)

Axeman (5)

Juggernaut (6)

Guardian (5)

Total Level: 23

Karma: Neutral Good +100

 **Irina Carim**

Job Classes:

Holy Priest (5)

Paladin (8)

Evil Slayer (7)

Total Level: 20

Karma: Good +150

 **Luna Mathis**

Job Classes:

Holy Priest (9)

Healer (5)

Saint (3)

Total Level: 17

Ability: Undead Appraisal

Karma: Good +175


End file.
